Google has announced that the final version of Android 15 has been released to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) – where developers and manufacturers can collect the code and adapt their apps and Android releases accordingly.
It's an important step towards a public release, but we're not quite there yet. Google says Pixel phones like the Google Pixel 9 will receive the update “in the coming weeks” (most likely in October), while phones from other manufacturers (like the Samsung Galaxy S24) will receive Android 15 “in the coming months.”
Google's announcement post highlights some of the new features we heard about back in May at Google I/O 2024: a private space for your most important apps, better support for large-screen multitasking, improved battery life, and a Boost feature Low light camera that makes it easier to see what's in the frame before you take a shot.
Now it's up to Google, Samsung, OnePlus and the others to make their own tweaks and refinements to Android 15 before rolling it out to users. For Pixel phone and tablet users, this could well include new screensavers and avatar options.
As the wait for Android 15 continues, Google has also rolled out four new Android updates. Google hasn't specified which Android versions these are for. So we expect them to work on most modern phones and tablets running Android.
1. Earthquake warnings are increasing in the US
Google has been experimenting with using Android phones as earthquake detectors for years, but now it's expanding the feature to the entire US, meaning many more people can get important information about seismic activity. Google has published a dedicated blog post about this feature that explains more about how it works.
2. Audio descriptions with Gemini AI
Of course, AI is also involved: Android includes a TalkBack screen reader to describe images for people with visual impairments, and these descriptions are now powered by Gemini AI. That should mean more detailed information about what's on the screen, be it images in a chat thread, on a shopping website, or in a phone's camera roll.
3. Search for music using Circle to Search
As previously rumored, Circle to Search will gain the ability to identify songs. If it's available on your phone, you can activate Circle to Search by long-pressing the home button or navigation bar and then tapping the music button to identify a song – regardless of whether the song is anywhere near you or is playing in an app that is currently running on the phone screen.
4. Chrome can read web pages to you
We've already tested this, but now it's officially available to everyone: In Chrome for Android, you can tap the three dots in the top right corner of a browser tab and then select Listen to this page to have it read to you. You even get some simple podcast-style playback controls (including speed controls) and a choice of voices.