- Android 15 Beta 3 has landed taking the new release to platform stability.
- It brings a bunch of features like a Google Home screen saver and a Bluetooth auto turn-on option.
- Besides, it also brings new contrast options and an improved sign-in process via Passkeys.
Android 15 is proving to be a decently packed release so far and the third beta of the same has finally landed on supported Pixel devices. To recap, Beta 2 brought some of the most awaited features like Private Space, App Pairs, and Rich Widgets previews. Android 15 Beta 3 being the third beta release also packs a few improvements and new features that we’ll go through below.
Circle to Search Toggle
The navigation menu now hosts a toggle to enable the Circle to Search, which should help turn on/off the feature in a jiffy. Google stressed about Circle to Search’s wider availability in the 2024 I/O and this could be the first step toward rolling out the feature on supported devices. You can find this option in Settings > System > Navigation mode.
Better Passkey and Credential Management
With Beta 3, Google has made it easier for users to sign in using passkeys. For those unaware, Passkeys make it easier to sign into your accounts using your biometrics or device pin. The experience has been simplified from interacting with two prompts to just a single prompt now.
One of the key upgrades to passkeys is if a user accidentally dismisses it, they can still access it via autofill options. This will, however, have to be implemented by apps that support passkey sign-ins.
Screenshot Preview Change
Screenshot previews now have a slightly different look. Instead of the edit and share icons appearing beside the screenshot, they now appear below. We don’t have a clue about how this may help enhance the user experience but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.
Automatically Turn on Bluetooth
With the new Find My Device experience, it’s important to have your phone’s Bluetooth turned on for other beacons on the network to detect and locate it. This feature ensures you don’t have to worry about if you disabled Bluetooth before you lost the device as the phone will eventually, automatically turn it on.
Google Home Screensaver
There’s a new screensaver in town! The Google Home screen saver was spotted by Mishaal Rahman in April and it’s finally here in Android 15 Beta 3. It provides a nice and nifty way to access all your smart home appliances from your smartphone’s screen when it’s docked or charging. We could see this feature being really useful on the Pixel Tablet.
Making it Contrasty!
System update and App updates options in the Settings app are wrapped around slightly more contrasty overlays that resemble the look found across the Pixel UI. Similarly, there’s a new contrast setting in the wallpaper customization section with three options default, medium, and high.
Auto-Delete Biometrics and Face Data
Starting Android 15 Beta 3, if biometric data isn’t working as intended and you are facing unsuccessful attempts in unlocking your device, Android will promptly delete the biometric data and you will be asked to enroll again. This feature was first spotted by Mishaal Rahman previously and has now been rolled out.
Long App Names
If an app has a long name, you may have noticed that the Pixel launcher shows a part of it and replaces the rest with dots. That changes now as Google has finally added a “Show long app names” toggle which, well, shows apps’ name in the next line if it’s too long to be displayed in one line.
So these were the few changes and additions in the latest Android 15 Beta. With this, Android 15 has now achieved platform stability which translates to Google finalizing all APIs for devs to start using and adding to their apps.
What are your thoughts on Android 15 Beta 3? How would you rate your excitement around the latest Android releases? Let us know in the comments below.
