Experienced Android users will know the joy of trying out new major Android releases. New Android versions are usually exciting but the same can’t be said about the last three major updates. Although Android has matured over the years, the overall perception is that Google is no longer making significant changes or adding features in major Android versions. There is still some weight in that statement but we believe android 15 release Brings many small changes that may seem insignificant at first but make a big difference in the user experience. Here’s my Android 15 review with everything I liked and didn’t like about the release.
I’ve been using Android 15 since its first developer preview, up to the latest Android 15 QPR1 beta 2. While we have compiled a comprehensive list Features of Android 15 If you’re instead looking for a brief opinion on how Android 15 fares against Android 14, you’ve come to the right place.
Android 15: things I like
Android 15 brings a lot of important improvements that contribute a lot to the user experience. Here’s everything I love about the update.
Solid stability and performance
Right off the bat, I can’t help but notice how stable the Android 15 release is, unlike last year’s Android 14. I believe this is all due to the extra time taken by Google to release updates very late over the last year. Although some people may be disappointed by the late release, I think Google did the right thing by delaying the update. Android 15 is stable and performs well, even on my three-year-old Pixel, Almost as if I had just unboxed the phone and started using it,
It is common for users to experience a placebo effect after a major update. While I thought I was experiencing the same thing, after trying out Android 15 extensively, I can say that performance and transition smoothness have improved significantly.
The animations are a little more delicateOne touch bounce, and I haven’t seen them break or jump like some examples on Android 14. Switching between apps and back via gesture navigation, swiping suddenly to open quick settings and go back to an app, it all feels much more lifelike and makes the whole experience feel a little mature. Oh, and did I tell you how great the subtle addition to the lock screen clock looks when you tap to activate the device? Awesome, Google.
Updates in Android Dynamic Performance Framework, SQLite Database and others may be some of the reasons. Although not yet implemented, enabling support for 16 KB page size on Android should provide an additional 10% performance increase. Google says it is working with OEMs for this.
UI improvements
Users love to see UI changes in new releases, and although Android 15 doesn’t bring too many, it does bring small changes that make quite a significant impact, starting with Predictive Back Gestures.
The predictable back gesture animations are great. It adds subtle animations to the haptics of your device and the app’s borders on the screen to let you know when the back gesture is triggered. during all this showing what’s behind the page You are trying to get out. Predictive back gestures work on all pages and even pop-ups like keyboard and circle to search, which are a great touch.
Although only pixel, new volume panel looks excellent with the ability to Switch audio playback device Directly from the panel. Sliders for different media volumes are now in line with the latest Material Design. Not only that, the panel also shows you the media you’re playing with the ability to play Control ANC, spatial audio, and live captions,
We’re not sure if ANC and spatial audio controls are exclusive to the Pixel and Pixel Buds, but considering the API is open, technically any OEM should be able to implement these controls if they want this volume panel layout. Let’s use it, ie. Still, the addition of the new panel is a nice touch and something that should have been here a long time ago. Better late than never I guess,
there are Improve wallpaper setup Menu too. It’s nothing surprising to write home about but it’s still a welcome change. Similarly, Bluetooth settings now have an auto-turn-on toggle. This is to be improved new find my device Experience, so you can track your lost device easily. Very good.
A step towards a less stock Android feel
The argument that the Pixel UI still lacks features still holds true but less so after the Android 15 update. Sure it’s still no close to Samsung’s OneUI and OnePlus’ OxygenOS but we’re getting closer. Here’s a dump of some of the most important additional features in Android 15:
partial screen recording allows you to Choose which app you want to recordAdditionally, when sharing your screen on apps like Google Meet, screen-sharing protection is activated and blocks notifications from displaying on the recipient’s screen. It has been extremely helpful to me in many situations already.
private space Three birds with one stone. you can essentially Clone, lock and hide apps Using only one feature. This is great because all the features are under one roof instead of scattered across settings like some UIs. Apart from this, Google has also introduced some other features that will help you avoid being cheatedSome of them are Android 15-exclusive, some are not but they are worth mentioning.
notification silenced Slowly dimming your phone’s notification ring when you’re constantly bombarded with messages from your best friends or family. Android, on the other hand, finally has a pop-out Bluetooth menu that helps you quickly switch Bluetooth devices. It took Google a long time but it’s finally here.
app storage It’s the Android equivalent of iOS’s offloading apps feature. it helps you Free up some space from apps Now you don’t use it. It does this by keeping the app data and moving the base APK out of your phone storage. I still can’t believe that the quick settings layout hasn’t had this much needed change by now. It now appears to be much more accessible in landscape mode.
Finally, App Pair, as the name suggests, will let you Save a pair of apps On the home screen which you can later launch in split screen by tapping on the shortcut. This can serve as a quick multi-tasking shortcut if you often use two apps at the same time.
Lots of safety features
Android 15 is all about privacy and security and there are many additional features in the department. Take for example Next Gen call screening which is now expanding to the UK and Japan. This helps users respond to spam calls By allowing Google Assistant to speak on their behalf.
then there is Theft ProtectionWhich isn’t exactly Android 15 or Pixel-exclusive, but is now available for most Android devices. Theft protection detects sudden motion and automatically locks your Android device. This can come in handy in case a thief tries to snatch your phone and run away.
Similarly, remote lock feature This can be useful if your device is stolen and you want to lock its screen. all you have to do is go android.com/lockEnter your phone number, and click Lock device.
Finally, as soon as I installed Android 15 via the Android Flash Tool, I was asked to enter the credentials of the Google account I had when I force reset the device. This is courtesy of the improvement factory reset protection Which was introduced by Google in Android 15. We have explained this extensively in the article linked above. TL;DR, it protects your device from thieves when they try to steal your device and force restart it.
Android 15: things I don’t like
While Android 15 hits many sweet spots; However, there are a few things I wish Google had added or improved. Here’s everything I don’t like about Android 15.
Awesome quick settings remain
I’ve tried to like the quick settings panel introduced by Google in Android 12 and failed to do so. Large tiles take up a lot of unnecessary spaceThis could have been useful to add more tiles, defeating the purpose of “quick” setting tiles.
I like Nothing’s recent implementation of quick settings tiles nothing os 3.0And some reports have suggested that Android 16 may bring Quick Settings revampedStill, I would love to see Google improve Quick Settings in Android 15.
Where is Renovate at a glance?
One of the things I was looking forward to in the Pixel UI and Launcher is the rollout of the new and revised At a Glance widget, combined with the ability to hide widgets. Google hasn’t made any of these features available despite testing it internally for some time.
I was looking forward to it. The current widget that is a part of the Google app still seems incomplete. Even if I wanted to use it, two “at a glance” widgets on the home screen would look terrible. Pixel Launcher remains the most overlooked Google app of all time.
no lockscreen widget
Although Android 15 adds lockscreen widgets to tablets, Android phones aren’t getting them. The idea of placing widgets on the lock screen, just like in Nothing OS, will help users immensely in getting work done or taking a look at stuff without unlocking the device. I wish Google worked on bringing lock screen widgets to phones and now I hope Android 16 does that.
Content you incompatibilities
We’ve had three major versions of Material U since it first came out, and there are still inconsistencies within them. Although Android 15 has received good improvements in UI, I cannot ignore the fact Themed icons still not fully adopted It is not mandated by app developers and by Google.
Ironically, there are still many icons, including some Google apps, that still lack support for themed icons. The Pixel was also supposed to get a “Force themed icons” toggle, but there’s no update on whether or when it will arrive.
still no battery health
It seems like I’ve been waiting for the Battery Health feature for an eternity. Google was found testing the feature in the Android 13 beta, and while the APIs are ready and can be accessed by third-party apps, there is still no official way to check the battery health percentage on the Pixel UI. OEMs like OnePlus already have this feature, so I wonder why it’s taking so long for Google to add it to Android.
Ghatak Health FacilityAlthough Android 15 is available in QPR 1 beta, haven’t made it stable As yet. So things like storage and battery health are still not here. We hope this feature is going to be released in the future.
Android 15 verdict: Small changes, big impact
Having used Android 15 since the first developer preview, I can definitely say that the latest update includes improvements worthy of being called a major upgrade. This version comes with a lot of features, the way Google usually releases features (ie, gradually).
While I was hoping to see features like battery health, lockscreen widgets, and a redesigned quick settings panel, I can conclude that additions like Private Space, app pairs, partial screen recording, and app archives make it a Makes a great release.
What is your review about Android 15? What features would you like to see Google add to future versions of Android? Let us know in the comments.
