Android 15’s first developer preview is now available
Developers of Android reskins, apps, and features can now test out Android 15 before it’s ready for the public.
Android 15 is now under development, with the public release coming after August 2024.
Android 15 is finally underway, with the development team releasing the first developer preview over the weekend.
According to the Android Developers team at Google, the Android 15 Developer Preview 1 is now available for early first-looks, allowing developers to test and give feedback about the operating system before it goes live.
Android 15 development timeline. Source: Android 15's developer page.
The team maintaining Android 15 said that February 2024 marks the first of its two developer previews, before moving into its beta testing phase around April. The final beta phase begins in July or August 2024, with the official release of Android 15 coming after that. That means that the public-ready version of Android 15 isn’t available until Q3 or Q4 2024, so there’s no rush to get the operating system if you’re not an app developer.
For now, most of the new features coming to Android 15 benefit app developers who need better interoperability between their apps and the operating system. The official blog has the preview’s perks listed down. In summary, an average user can expect things like partial screen sharing, better app performance, a better way to manage health and fitness data, and more. We’ll have a better laundry list of new features when Android has made it more concrete in the coming months, or if they choose to announce it during this year's developer conference, Google I/O.
How to install Android 15 Developer Preview 1
There’s a little catch. The first preview is available only on Google Pixel phones for now, which isn’t surprising since Google would want to have its own devices capable of supporting the operating system before others. The following are the Pixel devices that can get hold of the Android 15 Developer Preview:
- Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
- Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
- Pixel 7a
- Pixel Fold
- Pixel Tablet
- Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
You can use the Android Flash Tool or manually grab factory images from the Pixel downloads page to get a headstart on your testing. Alternatively, you can emulate a virtual version of Android 15 through an emulator. Please note that you install only if you are an app developer or OS tester, because these previews are not meant for public use.
Trivia: Android 15’s dessert name is Vanilla Ice Cream, continuing its tradition.
Source: Android for Developers, Android Developers Blog
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