Google releases Android 15 DP 2 with these useful new features

Google released Android 15 Developer Preview 2 on Thursday, allowing developers to try out an early version of the company’s next major operating system update for Android smartphones. The second preview includes several improvements to existing features and new features that take advantage of modern smartphone hardware, including satellite connectivity and foldable screens. Apps will also get new features, such as detecting when the screen is being recorded. Most of these features are expected to be part of the first public beta, scheduled for release next month.

One of the most notable new features in Android 15 is satellite connectivity. While manufacturers can always build support for these features, the arrival of official support means the feature’s UI should feel more cohesive across different satellite networks – including new UI like status bar icons and interactive notifications element, and the app can also detect when the phone is connected to the satellite and provide messaging services.

Improved near field communication (NFC) support on devices running Android 15, allowing smartphones to “watch” or listen to NFC readers without responding to them. Meanwhile, Google will allow apps running on Android 15 to determine when to record the screen, allowing them to prevent potentially sensitive information from being displayed on the screen at the same time – apps like Google Pay currently offer this when screen recording is enabled Features on iOS.

Foldable smartphones—particularly clamshells like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra—currently offer manufacturer-optimized support for running apps (or widgets) on smaller cover screens. Google says that in Android 15, app developers can declare a property that allows those apps to be used on the overlay screen of a foldable phone, despite their small size.

With added support for the CTA-2075 loudness standard, Android 15 will enable loudness consistency between different content types, which means you don’t have to constantly press the volume buttons to adjust the volume on your phone.The Settings app has also been updated to include a new feature called audio sharing This will let you manage your Auracast (a new Bluetooth “broadcast” feature) sessions.

Google will also allow developers to set specific HDR headroom levels, allowing their apps to balance HDR and SDR content without the portion of the screen showing the former overpowering the portion showing SDR content. You can also configure the app archiving feature through the Settings app, choosing to archive or restore apps directly from the Settings app.

All these features are currently available on the latest version of Android 15 DP 2, which is expected to enter the public beta planned to start rolling out in April. Some of these features may be further improved, enhanced, or removed in upcoming releases. According to the company’s timeline, a clearer look at Android 15 capabilities may emerge when the software reaches platform stability starting in June.