Google has just released the initial Developer Preview (DP) of Android 15, which is a day later than previously rumored. Another DP build is scheduled for March, followed by the first Beta in April, a second Beta in May, and then the “Platform Stability” phase will begin in June, leading up to the final release sometime after July. From June, there will be “several months” until the official release, according to Google.
Like previous early DP releases, this one doesn’t have many new features, and the ones that are highlighted are mostly focused on developers. Android 15 will support partial screen sharing, allowing for sharing or recording of just an app window rather than the entire screen.
Android 13 introduced support for connecting to MIDI 2.0 devices via USB, and Android 15 extends this support to virtual MIDI apps, enabling composition apps to control synthesizer apps as a virtual MIDI 2.0 device just like they would a USB MIDI 2.0 device.
There are also additional performance framework improvements, new extensions for more control over camera hardware and algorithms on supported devices, and support for new data types in Health Connect. Additionally, files can be protected by custom cryptographic signatures in Android 15, ensuring they have not been tampered with or corrupted and protecting against malware or unauthorized file modifications.
As implied by the pre-beta label, this build is not intended for the general public. It is meant for app developers to test and ensure their apps will function smoothly with the upcoming release. As always, the Beta builds arriving from April onwards will be easy for anyone with a Pixel to enroll in.
