The three Android 15 features I can’t wait to try first

To the surprise of absolutely no one, a new major version of Android will be released later this year.

We’ve known for a while that Android 15 was coming, but Google used the I/O developer conference keynote to reveal a lot more about the new software.

That covers all the major new features, and there are three in particular that I’m really excited to try. Let’s dive in.

Private space

I use my smartphone more than any other piece of technology, which means a lot of sensitive information is stored on it.

But now if I give it to a friend or family member, they are just one tap away from accessing this information.

Enter private space. It’s a space completely separate from the rest of Android 15, allowing you to hide sensitive apps (such as health or banking) behind an extra layer of authentication.

You can also make notifications from these apps only show when you’re in Private Space and make them completely hidden when you’re using the rest of the phone. Very handy.

Support for Google Wallet photos

I love all the different types of cards, tickets, and passes that Google Wallet supports, but adding them can be tricky. Adding it is such a hassle that I usually don’t bother with it.

However, that seems to be getting a lot easier in Android 15. Google will let you add passes with barcodes or QR codes by simply scanning them, meaning it will take a fraction of the time it normally would.

My only disappointment is that it will initially be limited to the US. Hopefully it will be expanded to the UK and other countries soon.

Theft detection lock

Okay, so I definitely don’t want my phone to actually get stolen. But I’m looking forward to pretending it’s a coincidence to see if Google’s new Theft Detection Lock feature works.

It would use AI to detect if your phone has been taken and someone is running, cycling or driving away. In that scenario, your phone will be immediately locked to prevent the thief from accessing personal data.

Currently, you have to do this manually from a device signed into the same Google account. This may take some time if you are not at home.

It’s traumatic enough to have your phone stolen without having to worry about criminals having access to your personal information. If Theft Detection works as advertised, that’s one less thing to worry about.

The second public beta of Android 15 is now available on recent devices from Google, Honor, Iqoo, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Tecno, Vivo and Xiaomi, ahead of a public release later this year.

Read more about Android 15 in our article about the top 10 features that had already been revealed. You may also be interested in four major Wear OS 5 reveals from Google I/O 2024.