The Android team at Google LLC today announced that it’s releasing version 15 of the mobile operating system and making its source code available at the Android Open Source Project and on supported devices soon.

Android 15 has been in development for the past year through multiple development and beta phases and it will become available on supported Pixel devices in the coming weeks. It will arrive for select Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Oppo, Sharp, Sony, Xiaomi and more devices in the coming months.

Separately, the Android team announced several new features coming to current Android devices, including new artificial intelligence-powered capabilities, earthquake alerts, Wear OS offline maps and more.

The Android Open Source Project, or AOSP, is a repository led by Google that allows the company to share the source code for its operating system and will enable the community to create custom variants of the Android OS. It permits developers to port devices and accessories to the Android platform and more easily ensure devices meet compatibility requirements while also maintaining the production quality of its software.

With this release of Android 15, Google improved typography and internalization, camera and media experiences and user security. With a larger number of font family access, especially for Chinese and Japanese, developers can more easily display characters from those languages. Camera controls now include better low-light controls and advanced flash strength adjustments.

Users will find enhanced privacy controls with private space capabilities, that can keep sensitive apps and data away from prying eyes and enhanced screen recording detection. The new OS also supports sign-in using passkeys with a single tap, making passwords a thing of the past. For those who still need passwords and usernames, the OS has an integrated password manager that can autofill sign-in information.

New features coming to Android devices

Soon, supported Android devices will get several new features powered by Google’s Gemini AI model to make web pages and images more accessible.

TalkBack, a screen reader designed for people who are blind or have low vision, will generate detailed audio descriptions of what’s on the screen. The new feature is powered by Google’s Gemini large language model on supported devices. “Whether you’re looking at online product images, photos in your camera roll, pictures in text messages or images of what’s happening on social media, Android’s screen reader uses the best of Google AI to bring images to life,” said Angana Ghosh, director of product management at Android.

Never miss a song using Circle to Search, no matter if it’s a song playing on social media or on speakers nearby. A user needs only long-press the Home button or navigation bar to activate the search capability on their phone. This will activate the new music identification capability that will then scan for the identity of the music playing and return with the track name and artist, and even open a YouTube video to explore more. That’s all without interfering whatever the user is doing in the app they’re using.

Users can now listen to web pages in Chrome on mobile devices out loud for users who want to hear what’s on the page if they don’t have the time or inclination to read it to themselves. It’s intended for users who need to spend more time paying attention to something other than their phone. The new feature allows users to choose their preferred voice, listening speed and language.

Smartwatch users are getting offline maps for when they don’t have phone service. When users download offline maps to their phone, they can access them directly from Google Maps on the watch even if they leave their phone behind. Having access to up-to-date maps without a phone would make moving around a city a lot easier, especially for people who forget to charge their phones (or lose them). “And with two new shortcuts into Google Maps, you can search for destinations using your voice or view your surroundings with a tap on your watch face,” Ghosh added.

Finally, Google’s earthquake safety feature that can detect and warn users about impending earthquakes using its devices is expanding to all U.S. states and six territories. The system uses a crowdsourced earthquake detection technology to sense the slightest trembling of numerous phones, which sets off an early warning system to alert users seconds before any shaking begins. The feature also includes additional safety information and resources after the event ends.

“To supplement existing government earthquake alert systems and bring early warnings to places that do not have USGS ShakeAlert, this expansion uses the built-in accelerometers in Android phones to bring another layer of preparedness and potentially life-saving information to people across every state,” Boone Spooner, group product manager of Android and Pixel safety, said in the announcement.

The technology in Google’s Android Earthquake Alerts System is already deployed and delivers warnings in 97 other countries. If an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 or greater is detected, it will provide two types of alerts, including “Be Aware” for light shaking and “Take Action” for moderate to extreme quakes, prompting users to take immediate action for their safety.

Image: Google