Posted by Matthew McCullough – VP of Product Management, Android Developer
Today we’re bringing you Beta 4, the final scheduled update for the Android 15 Beta program. Before non-Beta users get Android 15, make sure your apps are ready and provide us with important feedback.
This is our second platform stability release, and all developer APIs and app-facing behaviors are now final for you to review and integrate into your apps. You can also publish apps targeting Android 15 to Google Play. Beta 4 includes the latest fixes and optimizations, giving you everything you need to complete your testing. For a list of feature and behavior changes we’ve covered in this series of blog posts, see the Android 15 overview page. Or read on for key changes to note:
Removed PNG-based emoji fonts
Android 15 removes the legacy PNG-based emoji font file (NotoColorEmojiLegacy.ttf), so some Android 15 devices, such as Pixel, use only vector-based files. Starting in Android 13, the emoji font files used by the system emoji renderer changed from PNG-based files to vector-based files. For compatibility reasons, Android 13 and 14 retained the old font files to allow applications with their own font renderers to continue using the old fonts until they could upgrade.
There are several ways to adapt your app.
- Use platform text rendering. Convert text to bitmap-based canvas Use it to get RAW images if needed.
Get your apps, libraries, tools, and game engines ready.
If you develop an SDK, library, tool, or game engine, it’s important that you prepare any necessary updates now so that downstream app and game developers aren’t blocked by compatibility issues and can target the latest SDK features. Please let your developers know if they need updates to fully support Android 15.
To test your app, you must install a production version of your app onto a device or emulator running Android 15 Beta 4, using Google Play or another means. Examine all flows in your app looking for functional or UI issues. Review behavior changes to focus your testing: Each Android release includes platform changes that improve privacy, security, and overall user experience that may affect your app. There are some changes to focus on that apply even if you’re not yet targeting Android 15:
- 16 KB page size support – Starting in Android 15, Android supports devices configured to use a 16 KB page size. If your app or library uses the NDK directly, or indirectly through the SDK, you may need to rebuild your app to run on these devices.
- Private Space Support – Private Space is a new feature in Android 15 that allows users to create a separate space on their device and protect sensitive apps from prying eyes with an additional layer of authentication.
During compatibility testing, remember to thoroughly test the libraries and SDKs that your app uses – if you run into issues, you might need to update to the latest SDK versions or contact the developers for support.
Once you’ve published the Android 15 compatible version of your app, you can begin the app update process. Target SDK VersionLearn about the behavior changes that apply to your app when it targets Android 15, and use the compatibility framework to find issues quickly.
Take advantage of the new platform features!
In addition to getting your app ready, take advantage of new features that can help your app stand out on Android 15 devices.
- NotoSansCJK, a font file for the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) languages, is now a variable font that opens up new possibilities for creative typography.
- of Application Start Information The API helps provide insight into the app launch, including the launch state, the time spent in the launch phase, and how the app was launched when the Application class was instantiated.
- Partial screen sharing allows users to share or record just an app window, instead of their device’s entire screen.
- The generated preview allows the App Widget provider to Remote View This includes live content and accurate device theming to use as previews in the picker instead of generic static resources.
Today’s Beta release has everything you need to try out Android 15 features, test your apps, and provide feedback. Now that we’re in Beta, you can find information about enrolling your device here. If you enroll a supported Pixel device, you’ll get this and future Android Beta updates over the air. These OTAs will begin this evening PDT. If you don’t have a supported device, you can use a 64-bit system image with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. If you have a supported device and are already participating in the Android 14 QPR Beta program, it will automatically update to Android 15 Beta 4.
For the best development experience with Android 15, we recommend you use the latest version of Android Studio Koala. Once you’re set up, do the following:
- Try new features and APIs – During our developer preview and early beta programs, your feedback is extremely important. Please report any issues you may have in the tracker on our feedback page.
- Test your current apps for compatibility – Determine whether your app is affected by the changes in Android 15. Install your app on a device or emulator running Android 15 and test it thoroughly.
- Update your apps with the Android SDK Upgrade Assistant – The latest Android Studio Koala Feature Drop release covers the Android 15 API changes and provides instructions for upgrading your Android. Target SDK Version Use the Android SDK Upgrade Assistant.
We will be updating the Beta system images and SDK regularly throughout the remainder of the Android 15 release cycle. Learn more here.
For more information, see the Android 15 developer site.
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