With the release of Android 15 just around the corner, developers are preparing for the changes and new features that the update brings. Staying ahead of the curve ensures your apps remain functional, secure, and optimised for the latest Android environment. Below, the Monedata team has put together a comprehensive look at what developers need to know…

Putting privacy first

Android 15 continues Google’s commitment to user privacy. The latest update introduces more stringent permissions controls, giving users greater control over their data. Fundamental changes include foreground service restrictions. For the first time, Apps must justify their use of foreground services, ensuring they are essential for user functionality. Permissions granted to apps that haven’t been used for a prolonged period will be automatically revoked. This encourages developers to build more transparent and user-friendly permission requests. As we’ve already touched upon, Google is also rolling out a mass Play Store deletion program to remove outdated or ineffective apps from the store.

Faster than ever

Performance has always been a cornerstone of Android updates, and Android 15 is no exception. Developers can expect optimised background processes, offering enhanced management of background tasks to improve battery life and device performance. What’s morem improvements in the ART runtime mean that apps will launch quicker, providing a smoother user experience.

UI changes

Android 15 introduces several user interface changes aimed at enhancing the user experience. Developers should focus on the Material You design paradigm, which allows apps to adopt a dynamic colour scheme based on the user’s wallpaper. It will be crucial to ensure your app adapts seamlessly to these changes. Enhanced support for larger text, new accessibility APIs, and better integration with screen readers is also coming with the update.

Under-the-hood changes

Each new Android version updates API levels to introduce new features and deprecate old ones. Android 15 is no different. New and improved APIs for on-device machine learning are coming, including enhanced support for TensorFlow Lite. The update will offer better support for high-resolution cameras and new media formats, ensuring that multimedia apps can fully utilise the latest hardware.

Security remains a high priority, and Android 15 introduces several updates to bolster it, like enhanced encryption protocols to protect user data. The update brings more robust APIs for integrating biometric authentication, providing a more secure and user-friendly experience.

Maintaining backward compatibility ensures that apps run smoothly across different Android versions. Android 15 offers several tools to help developers like a new compatibility framework with tools to test your app against different versions of Android, making it easier to identify and fix compatibility issues. Deprecation Warnings are also coming to the update, offering clearer notifications about deprecated features and alternative solutions.

The latest version of Android Studio includes new tools for debugging, testing, and optimising apps for Android 15. Updated emulators have also been added to simulate the Android 15 environment, enabling developers to test their apps before the official release.

Android 15 has features and improvements that promise to enhance the user experience, security, and performance. For developers, staying informed and proactive about these changes is crucial. By understanding and leveraging the new capabilities of Android 15, you can ensure that your apps not only remain compatible but also take full advantage of the latest advancements. Stay tuned to the Monedata blog for the very latest news and updates.