In what’s been a fairly fascinating sequence of occasions, Android 15 really arrived after Google debuted its flagship lineup of smartphones. Google additionally shocked us by releasing each the Android 15 replace and the October Pixel Characteristic Drop on the identical time.
With that, we will get pleasure from much more options than what we initially anticipated. Though this is not a roundup of every thing new in Android 15, we have already executed that, these are the 9 options that I have been having fun with since receiving the replace.
App Archiving
You understand you may have an issue whenever you see an fascinating app you wish to check out, solely to comprehend that you’ve already downloaded it. I take care of this extra usually than I would prefer to admit. One other a part of the issue is that I are inclined to run out of house pretty shortly, however I do not wish to delete any apps from my telephone.
Android 15’s new App Archiving characteristic is one thing that I by no means actually thought I might have a use for, however it’s change into fairly indispensable. The perfect half is that this characteristic is not restricted to simply apps from the Play Retailer. As a substitute, you may archive nearly any app in your telephone, no matter whether or not it was downloaded from the Play Retailer or from a third-party repository like F-Droid.
One-tap Passkey
I have never had the best expertise with Passkeys, as I nonetheless favor counting on two-factor authentication with codes being generated by my password supervisor. A part of the issue has been the less-than-seamless expertise every time logging right into a Passkey-enabled account.
For probably the most half, Android 15 has solved a little bit of this for me, as signing in with a Passkey now solely requires a single faucet. Positive, it is just one much less step than earlier than, however whenever you’re making an attempt to shortly signal into one thing, the wasted time provides up.
Manually allow Astrophotography
Just lately, I used to be capable of see the Northern Lights for the primary time due to utilizing Astrophotography mode on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. Nonetheless, one of many frustrations with utilizing this at any time, and never simply making an attempt to seize a selected occasion, is that the circumstances wanted to be excellent to ensure that Astrophotography mode to be activated.
Beforehand, the one choices had been to both flip it off or set it to “Auto,” which was high-quality when your Pixel determined to allow you to use it. Fortunately, that is now not an issue with Android 15, as now you can manually allow it.
Dwelling Controls on the Lock Display screen
I’ve written quite a lot of phrases about how I imagine the Pixel Pill was launched as a public beta check for a redesigned Nest Hub. Android 15 provides additional credence to that concept, due to the brand new Dwelling Controls display saver. When activated, all of my Google Dwelling toggles and controls are simply there.
Hopefully it isn’t a bug, however that is additionally an possibility on my Pixel 9 Professional Fold, which got here as a pleasant shock. One other shock is that I will swap out Google Dwelling for my Dwelling Assistant dashboard, which supplies me much more management over my good residence. To not point out that you just’re capable of customise Dwelling Assistant to your liking, and are not restricted to simply controlling your “favorites.”
Pin the Taskbar
As somebody who loves tablets and foldable telephones, I used to be fairly shocked when the Pixel Fold did not embody the power to pin the Taskbar. That is one thing that Samsung launched again with the Galaxy Z Fold 4,and can be an possibility with the OnePlus Open. Regardless of that, it isn’t at the moment an possibility on the OnePlus Pad 2 for causes that I am unable to clarify.
Android 15 ought to clear up that drawback as soon as it makes its technique to extra tablets and foldables. On both the Pixel Pill or Google’s foldable telephones, slowly swipe as much as make the taskbar seem, long-press it, then faucet the toggle to “At all times present Taskbar.”
Go from the Large Display screen to the Small Display screen
Though I have been utilizing foldable telephones for the reason that Galaxy Z Fold 2, one characteristic that I always overlook about is with the ability to proceed utilizing an app from the inside display on the quilt display. It is a type of issues that may come in useful whenever you need however is not a “defining” characteristic of the consumer expertise.
However, it is also one thing that wasn’t out there with Android 14 on the Pixel Fold, regardless of being an possibility on Samsung’s foldables and the OnePlus Open. On Android 15, it may be enabled beneath the “Show & contact” settings, and from there, you may select to all the time have apps seem, carry out a swipe-up gesture, or flip this off solely.
Protecting apps collectively
I am unable to imagine it took Google this lengthy to convey App Pairs to its Pixel units, however I am positive glad it is right here. Utilizing two apps side-by-side is already extremely useful, because it lets me use one thing like Chrome on one half and Maintain or Obsidian on the opposite.
Nonetheless, it was fairly annoying not with the ability to save that mixture and use it later. As soon as Android 15 is put in in your foldable or Android pill, open two apps side-by-side, then swipe as much as reveal the app switcher. From there, faucet the Save app pair button, and a brand new icon will seem in your Dwelling Display screen.
Extra Gemini enhancements
As Google continues to enhance Gemini, one factor that I have been hoping for is deeper integration between apps. The most recent replace does simply that, because it’s now attainable to activate Gemini and ask it questions on objects inside the Pixel Screenshots app.
Though it is most likely not one thing that I will use regularly, I am simply blissful to see extra performance being added to Gemini. Even when it is one thing that most likely ought to have been there when the Pixel 9 sequence launched.
Shortly swap between Bluetooth units
As somebody who owns nearly as many Bluetooth headphones as smartphones, switching between them has been fairly a ache. Beforehand, I would have to leap into the Settings app, head into the Bluetooth menu, after which choose the headphones that I wish to swap to.
Android 15 makes life simpler, on this regard, courtesy of the up to date Fast Settings tile. Now, I can simply faucet the toggle and decide from the listing of obtainable headphones. That is nice for once I wish to go from utilizing my over-ear headphones at my desk to my Pixel Buds Professional 2.
There’s rather a lot to like in Android 15
These are only a handful of the brand new options that are actually out there with the steady launch of Android 15. There are such a lot of extra which may enchantment to others, even when they do not actually resonate with how I exploit my telephone every day.
For those who simply acquired the replace, I extremely advocate diving into the Settings app. Simply check out the entire completely different screens, panels, and toggles, so that you could higher really feel for what your telephone is definitely able to.
