Android 15, the “Vanilla Ice Cream” was launched in late 2024 and brought thoughtful enhancements across security, productivity, UI, and large-screen support.

Android 15: What’s New & What You Should Know

Release Timeline & Availability

• Android 15 (codename Vanilla Ice Cream) officially hit AOSP and started rolling out to Pixel devices around October 15, 2024.
• Following the Pixel rollout, updates began to reach select Samsung, Honor, OnePlus, Oppo, realme, vivo, Motorola, Xiaomi and others.

Top Features (Security, Privacy & Anti-theft)

• Theft Detection Lock: Uses AI to detect if your phone is being snatched—running, riding, or driving away—and locks it automatically. Also includes protections against SIM removal, disabling Find My Device, and failed-password attempts.
• Real-Time Fraud App Defense via Google Play Protect: AI now flags and blocks suspicious apps before they cause harm—all on-device.
• Private Space: A secure, hidden container for apps (like banking or dating ones). Apps and notifications in this space are invisible to others and require separate authentication.

Productivity & Large-Screen Enhancements

• App Pairing & Taskbar Pinning (on tablets and foldables): Launch two apps together in split-screen with a single tap, and keep your taskbar always visible for easy access.

UI Tweaks, Convenience & Multimedia

• Partial Screen Recording: Record just one app window instead of the entire screen.
• Notification Cooldown: Automatically reduces notification volume after receiving many alerts from the same app in quick succession.
• Keyboard Haptics Toggle & Brightness Haptic Feedback: Turn off keyboard vibration across all apps and feel subtle feedback as you adjust screen brightness.
• Volume Slider Redesign: Wider, pill-shaped sliders with enhanced spatial audio and filtration controls.
• Edge-to-Edge Apps by Default: Older apps no longer show black bars—they now occupy the full screen automatically.

Messaging & Connectivity Upgrades

• Satellite Messaging (SMS/RCS): Communicate via satellite when cellular or Wi-Fi isn’t available. Real messaging, not just emergency signals.
• Bluetooth QS Menu Refresh: Manage paired devices directly from Quick Settings. Plus, a toggle to auto-enable Bluetooth the next day if turned off.

Accessibility & Smart Enhancements

• Improved TalkBack Descriptions: Powered by Gemini AI, image descriptions get smarter—even for unlabeled images.
• AI-Based Search: Introduced “Circle to Search” for identifying music playing nearby via long-press.
• Earthquake Alerts (in select regions): Crowd-sourced early warnings with safety guidance.

Developer & Security Enhancements (Under the Hood)

• Advanced APIs: Macros like setAdjustCompilerFilterCallback and storage flags (e.g., dusize_4k) for improved performance and encryption.
• Virtual A/B Updates v3: Smaller, faster OTA updates via a more efficient mechanism.
• VM Security Upgrades: Virtualization now supports remote attestation and safer updates for virtual machines.
• Mobile Network Privacy Alerts: Warnings for unencrypted connections or any exposure of IMSI, IMEI, or SUCI over mobile networks.

Summary Table: Android 15 Highlights

Why Android 15 Matters

Android 15 represents a meaningful leap in security, multitasking, and usability—especially for large-screen and foldable devices. It strengthens anti-theft defenses, refines UI controls, enhances accessibility, and even extends messaging beyond traditional networks through satellite support. All while rolling out across a broad ecosystem of OEMs.