The next Android 15 Developer Preview is available today, and we are looking at DP2 to find what’s new.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s everything new in Android 15 Developer Preview 2 [Gallery]
Author
Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
Android 15 Developer Preview 2 rolling out to Pixel
Google is rolling out Android 15 Developer Preview 2 today ahead of next month’s first beta. It continues work on a number of tentpoles with more capabilities taking shape in this release.
Expand Expanding CloseChromeOS adding a location privacy toggle
Last year, ChromeOS introduced Camera and Microphone access toggles that match the Android experience, and Chromebooks will soon be getting a location privacy control.
Expand Expanding CloseQualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 brings on-device AI and Wi-Fi 7
Qualcomm is following its announcement at the start of this week with another chip: the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Contacts rolling out redesign that removes navigation drawer
Following Messages last year, Google Contacts is now the latest app to replace its navigation drawer as part of a small redesign today that really simplifies things.
Expand Expanding CloseGmail rolls out in-app predictive back on Android 14
Google has yet to enable system-level Predictive Back in Android 14, but the in-app variant is live in some apps, including Gmail most recently.
Expand Expanding CloseA second shot for smartwatches with cameras
The first two generations of Samsung Galaxy Gear watches in the early 2010s had cameras. Coming in at around 2 megapixels, the quality was unsurprisingly mediocre. With Wear OS having a renaissance, it would be interesting if Google and its partners experimented with cameras.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid rolling out cloud photo picker with Google Photos support
Following the February announcement, Android’s new cloud photo picker, which supports Google Photos and other apps, is more widely rolling out.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Lens now lets you save and download your Visual Search History [U]
Google Lens is rolling out the highly-requested ability to save your Visual Search History so that you can return to any analyzed image in the future.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle updates Pixel 5G availability list, up to 38 countries
The official line from Google is that “not all Pixel 4a (5G) and later phones work on all 5G networks.” Google maintains a list of countries where 5G is available on the Pixel and it was recently updated.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music getting an ‘Activity’ notifications feed
We’ve noticed an uptick in notifications sent by YouTube Music since the start of 2024, and the mobile app is now readying an “Activity” feed.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps rolling out public transit directions on Wear OS
Following the announcement in late February at MWC 2024 and the March Pixel Feature Drop, Google Maps for Wear OS is more widely rolling out public transit directions.
Expand Expanding CloseFitbit Labs, powered by new Personal Health LLM, coming ‘later this year’
Following the tease at the Pixel Watch 2 launch in October, Google Health provided an update on Fitbit Labs at The Checkup 2024 event.
Expand Expanding ClosePlay Books is one of the last Google apps to get a Material You redesign [U]
Google is finally rolling out a straightforward Material You redesign of Play Books for Android. It follows the new icon introduced last year, with the app rarely seeing updates.
Expand Expanding CloseAt a Glance widget drops Google Assistant branding
In a rather interesting development, the At a Glance homescreen widget found on all Android devices is no longer branded as an extension of Google Assistant.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Messages adds Material 3 slider for voice recordings
While we’re waiting for the audio recorder redesign with noise cancellation and Voice Moods to become available, Google Messages has updated the playback UI to make use of the new Material 3 slider.
Expand Expanding CloseUnreleased Fitbit app sleep page redesign shown off
When the Material You revamp of the Fitbit app rolled out in September, most but not all pages were modernized. We now have a look at a redesign of Fitbit’s Sleep stats page.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Calendar replacing appointment slots with appointment schedules
Google Calendar “appointment slots” have long allowed education and enterprise users to create and reserve specified time slots. Google is now removing that capability and replacing it with “appointment schedules.”
Expand Expanding CloseApple might use Google Gemini to power some AI features on the iPhone
Besides using Gemini to power features in its apps and services, Google offers its LLM to third-party developers. Apple is reportedly in talks with Google to license Gemini for the iPhone.
Expand Expanding CloseQualcomm announces Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 with on-device AI
Qualcomm today revealed the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 as a smartphone chip with some flagship-level features that comes in below the 8 Gen 3.
Expand Expanding Close‘Fitbit by Google’ is dead, long live ‘Google Fitbit’
With the Sense 2 and Versa 4 announcement in August of 2022, the “Fitbit by Google” branding emerged. That’s now going away in favor of just “Google Fitbit.”
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Android 14 QPR2 update breaks Pixel Launcher Search settings
A bug introduced with this month’s Android 14 QPR2 update breaks Pixel Launcher Search settings so that you cannot disable people/contact or Play Store results.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Store boosts Pixel 8 Pro discount, Pixel Fold down to $1,299
Following the last sale in February, the US Google Store is once again discounting the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro this spring.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Phone app removes Nearby places search
As previewed in early February, the Google Phone dialer app has removed the Nearby places search feature on Android.
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