Google’s second day of its I/O developer convention focuses on updates to its Android ecosystem. The corporate not too long ago consolidated all of its {hardware} groups—Pixel gadgets—with its Android platforms, which embrace anything and everything powered by Android (plus Chrome OS). Naturally, right this moment’s bulletins contact on each a part of that ecosystem, from Android 15 to Put on OS 5.
Listed below are the important thing new options to learn about.
Android’s High New Options
There’s a mixture of new Android options which can be unique to Android 15—the subsequent model of Google’s cellular working system—however many of those options might be rolling out to current gadgets via Play Retailer and app updates with out the necessity for an over-the-air OS improve. (I’ll point out which of them are Android 15 unique.) My colleague, Simon Hill, has rounded up all of the top Android 15 features on this story with particulars on how one can obtain the beta, however listed below are a couple of standouts.
Non-public House
Courtesy of Google
Numerous Android producers have lengthy supplied a technique to lock and conceal sure apps behind biometric authentication, however Google is now constructing this into Android with a characteristic known as Non-public House. That is an Android 15–particular characteristic as a result of Dave Burke, Google’s VP of engineering on Android, says there have been a variety of methods for an app’s data to leak all through the working system. The group needed to do “surgical procedure in Android 15” to make it work, however this implies these apps are actually fully hidden and personal in all places in Android.
Non-public House is visually separate out of your apps within the app drawer. You may even set a password to entry the non-public apps that is totally different from the one you utilize to unlock your cellphone. When you add an app to the Non-public House, its notifications might be hidden, and it gained’t be accessible even when somebody went digging in your cellphone’s settings. You can even wipe your non-public house instantly.
Theft Detection Lock
Courtesy of Google
This characteristic is not Android 15 particular and can arrive later this yr. Google says it makes use of “Google AI” to determine when somebody steals your cellphone when you are utilizing it—and sure, it is aware of the distinction between you going for a run along with your smartphone and somebody swiping it and working, biking, or motoring off with it. As soon as Android detects a theft, it’ll ensure that the cellphone is locked down to stop somebody from accessing your apps and personal data.
It’ll even lock as soon as the machine goes offline, that means somebody attempting to manufacturing unit reset your cellphone will want the passcode to reactivate the machine, doubtlessly depriving them of the flexibility to resell the handset. And there’s an added characteristic known as “Distant Lock” which helps you to lock the display screen of the cellphone remotely. If you happen to add your cellphone quantity, you’ll be able to name the cellphone on another machine (like a good friend’s cellphone) and enter a safety problem to authenticate the motion.
Talking of theft safety, Google says later this yr, Google Play shield will be capable to use on-device synthetic intelligence to detect apps that have interaction in fraud or phishing acts. Play Defend already does this on the cloud, however some malicious bits of software program can cloak their actions there. Having this working on-device permits the service to detect how the app makes use of delicate permissions and spot suspicious behaviors—with out accumulating any private knowledge.
Google Pockets Will get Much less Restrictive
Courtesy of Google
Google Pockets doesn’t simply deal with funds. Proper now, you’ll be able to add loyalty playing cards, health club memberships, transit playing cards, live performance tickets, and boarding passes, along with bank cards. Nonetheless, an replace coming later this yr will quickly allow you to create a digital model of passes by merely snapping a photograph of it. Add the picture to Google Pockets—assume parking passes, library playing cards, auto insurance coverage playing cards—and Google will create a digital model for fast entry. Now whether or not these digital variations might be accepted is a unique matter.
Google Teases Its Upcoming Blended Actuality Headset
You may not keep in mind this, however Samsung and Google are engaged on a combined actuality headset with Qualcomm. The partnership was introduced final yr together with the expectation that it might make its debut later in 2024. Google confirmed to me that it had nothing to share at I/O on the event of the headset, however the firm did tease an augmented actuality expertise with Google Maps that is perhaps one thing you’d be capable to expertise on the machine when it arrives.
In Google Maps, you’ll quickly be capable to entry AR content material when looking particular places. Faucet the “AR Expertise” button and produce your cellphone as much as see augmented content material seem over the actual world. This even works remotely via Avenue View, so that you don’t should go midway the world over to strive it.