All the New Android Features Google Just Announced at I/O
During yesterday’s big Google I/O keynote, Google talked about several new AI features coming to Android , including a new change to the search circle , as well as AI-powered fraud protection. A day later, Google had a slew of new Android 15 announcements, starting with the announcement that Android 15 beta 2 is now available.
Android 15 beta 2 is available on many smartphones
Android betas traditionally start on the Pixel, but with Beta 2, many smartphone users will be able to try Android 15 sooner. The beta version is now available on Pixel, iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Sharp, Realme, Techno, Vivo, Xiaomi and Honor. If you have a compatible smartphone, try the beta version if you want to try out these new features . (Just know that the beta software is not yet finished, so there is a risk of errors and data loss.)
Personal space
Google calls “private space” the “digital safe on your phone,” and for good reason. This feature is located at the bottom of your app’s panel and requires a second level of authentication to access. From here, you can add any apps you want without them appearing on the home screen or app drawer. Think about health, banking, or even some messaging apps: the private space hides the app icon, its data, and even notifications. If desired, personal space can be made invisible altogether, although it is unclear where it will be located in this case.
Access to selected photos
When you give an app partial access to your media, it means it will only be able to see a certain number of photos and videos from your library. Google allows you to access only recently selected media files using Android 15 beta 2. This way, apps that frequently request photos and videos can quickly retrieve those items without you having to constantly adjust permissions yourself.
One-time passwords are now hidden from notifications.
This is a great security feature in Android 15: Malware usually uses OTP notifications to steal these codes and infiltrate your accounts. Moving forward, the codes will be hidden from most notifications, so you will need to tap them to find out what your OTP is. Google also says it is expanding limited settings that require user approval when installing apps from the Internet.
Screen sharing is more secure
When you share your screen in Android 15, the OS automatically hides both notifications and one-time passwords. It will also hide the screen when you enter your password and credit card details, and soon more phones will have the option for Pixels to show a specific app’s screen rather than the entire screen at once. Additionally, Google is adding a more obvious screen sharing icon that makes it easy to turn off sharing at any time.
Cellular security updates
Google will now warn you if your cellular network is not encrypted, which could allow attackers to listen to calls and read your SMS messages. Additionally, Google will alert high-risk users, such as journalists, if a fake cell base or surveillance tool intercepts their location.
Updated multitasking on large screens.
In recent years, Google has been working on optimizing Android for tablets. In Android 15 beta 2, you can now pin the taskbar to your screen to quickly access apps and app combinations for split screen.
Choose how you are addressed
Android will soon let you choose the gender you want to address in gendered languages. Google initially tested the feature in French, but it will soon be available in other gender-specific languages. You can choose from non-personalized, feminine, masculine or neutral.
Saving items to Google Wallet from a photo
Android 15 makes adding passes to Google Wallet even easier: Google says you’ll soon be able to take a photo of any pass—say a ticket, gym membership, library card, etc. From there, Android can turn it into a digital transfer that you can keep in Google Wallet. It adds the ability to save digital items containing barcodes and QR codes.
AR content in Google Maps
Google is bringing AR content to Google Maps with Android 15: They’re starting with AR experiences for Singapore and Paris, and will presumably add more cities as they go. Google wants you to use AR content to learn more about a specific place, and this has its benefits: if you can point your phone’s camera at a building in the city you’re visiting and learn more about it, that’s pretty cool (but may cause something of an existential crisis for guides).
Google’s built-in feature is expanding
Google says Google’s built-in technology will appear in many cars, such as the Acura ZDX and Ford Explorer. Built-in adds apps from your phone to your car’s built-in display, and Google says developers are creating more apps compatible with the service.
Additionally, Google Cast will be coming to Android Automotive-powered vehicles, starting with Rivian in the “coming months.” You can stream video from your device to the car’s display, which sounds great for passengers but tricky for the driver.
Google TV now has Gemini
Google TV now uses Gemini to suggest content for you to watch. This includes descriptions generated by artificial intelligence based on your viewing history and “actor preferences.” Chill. The best use of this technology is in missing or untranslated descriptions: every time the system encounters a situation that could have left you behind, the AI fills in the gaps.
RCS comes to Japan
Apple isn’t the only one getting RCS support this year : Google says Japan will also get the protocol. Details are still limited, but Android users in Japan will soon be able to take advantage of end-to-end RCS encryption, high-resolution photos and videos, and functioning group chats. (That last one shouldn’t be a “feature”, but here we are.)
Find My Device feature is expanding
Google’s Find My Device is a worthy competitor to Apple’s Find My service, tapping into the broader Android community to help find missing items. Later this month, Google promises you’ll be able to find things you need using Chipolo and Pebblebee trackers. Companies like eufy, Jio and Motorola will also join the Find My Device ecosystem later this year.
Theft detection lock (coming later this year)
Here’s one positive use of artificial intelligence: Theft detection lock, coming later this year, will detect whether your phone has been stolen by tracking the “theft movement.” Exactly how this works isn’t obvious, but Google says that if your phone detects it’s been stolen and the thief tries to run, bike, or drive away, Android will lock down.
Real-time protection against rogue apps (available later this year)
Fraud is a real problem on Android. Although Google has safeguards in place to screen apps before they reach the Play Store, many malicious apps still escape . Google today announced that later this year, Google Play Protect will use on-device artificial intelligence to identify apps that may be fraudulent or phishing. Play Protect will report any suspicious behavior to Google, and the company will either warn you or close the app entirely.
Google says the feature will come to Pixel, Oppo, Honor, Lenovo, OnePlus, Nothing, Transsion and Sharp later this year.
Changes in Wear OS 5
Google says Wear OS will be more energy efficient: Running an outdoor marathon will use 20% less power than with Wear OS 4. Plus, your fitness apps will have data like ground contact time, stride length, and vertical coordinates. swing, which is a measure of how vertically you move with each step of your run. (Full disclosure: I had to look it up .)