Android 14 is now official, however Google is already wanting forward of subsequent 12 months, and meaning Android 15. Though it launched a number of new AI-based options, Android 14 turned out to be an incremental replace, and it did not embody all of the options that Google confirmed off in early beta builds.
Having used the Android 14 beta extensively alongside all the main Android skins — One UI 6, ColorOS 13, and MIUI 14 — this is a brief record of what I need to see in Android 15.
Android 15 wants floating home windows
ColorOS and MIUI rolled out floating home windows three years in the past, and it’s a helpful utility that allows you to maximize display actual property. Floating home windows basically permits you to resize any app in order that it suits on the show with out taking on its total width, and it may be overlaid onto one other app, making it fairly handy to make use of. My finest use case is launching the calculator in a floating window every time I would like so as to add up a number of issues, and it really works exceedingly nicely on this scenario.
If Google is wanting so as to add floating home windows to Android 15, it ought to take into account taking a look at ColorOS’ implementation and never MIUI. In all its knowledge, Xiaomi thought it finest to have floating home windows enabled as default, with no option to flip off the function. Which means that everytime you pull down on a notification, it opens in a floating window, and I’ve had a number of cases through the years the place I inadvertently launched floating home windows with out that means to.
Google must ship higher icon customization
Google launched themed icons in Android 12 (albeit in beta), and two years after launch, the function remains to be half-baked at finest. The issue is not all the way down to Google, however devs — as this function is not mandated, most app makers nonetheless select to disregard it, and it makes the house display look much less cohesive. Even well-known companies like Evernote do not supply the function, and whereas that is extra to do with the state of Evernote, it is annoying to not have all icons make the most of the function.
Whereas Google’s at it, if it may well roll out the flexibility to alter icon form and measurement, that may be incredible. I am nonetheless aggravated at how little customization is offered on a Pixel telephone on this explicit regard, and actually must do higher.
Google ought to steal Display screen Distance from iOS
Display screen Distance is a intelligent new function in iOS 17 that makes use of the entrance digicam to find out for those who’re holding your telephone too near your eyes. The purpose right here is to scale back eye pressure, and if the digicam detects that you just’re utilizing your system nearer than 12 inches out of your face, it triggers a full-screen alert asking you to maneuver your telephone or pill additional away.
This function proved to be fairly helpful on the iPhone 15 Professional Max, and I discovered that I had a bent to carry the telephone a bit of nearer at evening. Display screen Distance is designed to scale back danger of myopia in youngsters, however for those who have a tendency to make use of your telephone in mattress so much, it may be fairly a helpful device. Google must convey an analogous utility to Android, and on condition that it makes use of the digicam to gauge distance, it should not be laborious to implement.
At all times On Show must be higher
Google’s tackle an At all times On Show has all the time been lackluster, and Android 14 does not do a lot to alter that. You solely get the choice to indicate time and date when selecting an always-on display, and when you get notification icons on the backside, there’s no customization attainable.
Different interfaces, in the meantime, supply in depth customizability on this space. I just like the vary of types accessible in ColorOS and the truth that I can design my very own sample that reveals up on the lock display, and whereas One UI does not supply a lot out of the field, you possibly can all the time set up Good Lock and unlock a slate of customization choices.
Give us app cloning already
Most Android manufacturers provide the choice to clone an app so you possibly can run two cases of it. That is helpful for those who’ve bought two SIM playing cards and need to absolutely make the most of messaging companies like WhatsApp or Telegram, however you do not have the flexibility to take action on a Pixel telephone. Because it often does, Google teased this function in earlier Android 14 beta builds, however it was nowhere to be present in subsequent betas, and is lacking on the steady model.
Android 15 can be right here earlier than it
Google tends to roll out preview builds of Android months forward of public launch, and that is finished to verify devs have loads of time to get used to the newest options. If historical past is any indication, the Android 15 dev preview needs to be accessible someday in February 2024, adopted by public betas two months later. I will have rather more to speak about Android 15 as quickly because it turns into accessible, however for now, let me know if there are any options you’d wish to see within the subsequent iteration of Android.
