Android 15 Developer Preview Out; First Beta Due April
Google has unveiled the inaugural Developer Preview (DP) of Android 15, albeit a day later than anticipated. According to the tech giant, another DP iteration is slated for March, with the initial Beta scheduled for April, followed by a subsequent Beta in May. The pivotal "Platform Stability" phase is set to commence in June, preceding the ultimate release sometime after July—specifics beyond this remain undisclosed, with Google vaguely indicating "several months" until the official launch.
Characteristically, early DP versions are light on groundbreaking features, focusing primarily on developers' needs. Notable among the revealed enhancements is the support for partial screen sharing, allowing users to share or record specific app windows rather than the entire screen.
Building upon Android 13's capability to connect with MIDI 2.0 devices via USB, Android 15 extends this functionality to virtual MIDI apps. This enhancement enables composition applications to control synthesizer apps akin to a USB MIDI 2.0 device, thereby expanding creative possibilities.
Additionally, Android 15 introduces improvements to the performance framework and offers new extensions for enhanced control over camera hardware and algorithms on compatible devices. Health Connect sees an update with support for new data types. Notably, files can now be safeguarded by custom cryptographic signatures, bolstering protection against tampering, corruption, and malware.
As indicated by its pre-beta designation, this release is tailored for app developers to ensure seamless compatibility with the upcoming Android iteration. Subsequent Beta versions, starting in April and easily accessible to Pixel users, will offer wider participation and testing opportunities.