Google Unveils Android 15 Beta with a Focus on Productivity and Security
In a move that caters to developers and tech enthusiasts, Google has unveiled the first beta version of its Android 15 mobile operating system. This latest iteration is designed to enhance productivity, bolster user privacy, and security, and improve the visibility and accessibility of applications.
Launched on April 11, the beta version of Android 15 introduces a default edge-to-edge display for apps, eliminating the need for developers to use specific code to achieve this modern look. While the new OS handles this natively, developers are advised to use enableEdgetoEdge() to maintain compatibility with previous versions of Android.
Android 15 also brings improvements to the tap-to-pay experience, aiming for a more seamless and reliable transaction process. It continues to support the Android Near Field Communications (NFC) ecosystem, with enhancements such as allowing apps to register a fingerprint on supported devices for better coordination among NFC-aware apps.
When it comes to text justification, Android 15 introduces a new feature for inter-character spacing with JUSTIFICATIONMODEINTER_CHARACTER, addressing the needs of languages that do not typically use spaces, like Chinese. This complements the existing inter-word justification capabilities.
Security features prominently in Android 15, with the introduction of E2eeContactKeysManager to aid in end-to-end encryption within Android applications. This new feature provides an OS-level API for the secure storage of cryptographic public keys. Furthermore, the operating system has been fortified with measures to thwart malicious background apps from exploiting foreground privileges and user interactions.
On the app management front, Android 15 simplifies the archiving and unarchiving process with OS-level support, easing the burden on app stores. Additionally, the new ProfilingManager class in the realm of app-managed profiling will facilitate the collection of profiling data, with plans to integrate this into an Android Jetpack API for ease of use. Developers can look forward to connecting heap dumps, heap profiles, stack sampling, and more through this feature.
As the tech community eagerly anticipates the final release of Android 15, expected in August, this beta serves as a promising glimpse into the future of Android’s ecosystem, with user experience and security at its core.
