During its I/O 2024 developer sessions, Google shared additional information about Android 15, focusing on enhancements to battery life, particularly standby battery life. The tech giant disclosed that it has revamped the Doze mode within the Android system. This rework ensures that background apps cease running when the device is idle, potentially extending standby battery life by up to three hours.

 

In a report for Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman noted that he spoke with Dave Burke, Vice President of Engineering for the Android Platform, and Sameet Samat, President of the Android Ecosystem, about initiatives to enhance battery life in Android 15. They highlighted that a key approach to this improvement is through the Doze mode.

Android 15 Expected to Boost Devices’ Standby Battery Life by Up to 3 Hours by Doze Mode to Accelerate Device Idle State by 50%

For those unfamiliar, Doze mode was introduced in Android 6.0 Marshmallow to manage background processes when a device is idle. It controls which apps can run in the background and for how long. The Android platform optimizes idle time by grouping multiple background tasks into a brief maintenance window, ensuring that various apps don’t run at different times and unnecessarily keep the device awake.

According to the report, Burke noted that in Android 15, Doze mode has been accelerated by 50 percent, allowing devices to enter this mode 50 percent faster. By extending the idle state duration, Android can more effectively manage background processes. This adjustment is expected to provide up to three additional hours of standby battery life for devices.

In addition to optimizing battery life, Android 15 introduces several new features for users. The Android 15 Beta 2 release unveiled a new Private Space designed for hiding sensitive apps. These apps will not appear on the Home Screen or in the app drawer. This Private Space can be accessed via a separate Google account and is protected by a password and PIN.

Android 15: To be Know as and release date

Google shifted from its tradition of assigning dessert-themed codenames to Android versions with the release of Android 10, opting to solely use the version number for all subsequent releases. Consequently, Android 15 is identified simply as Android 15. However, Google still employs dessert codenames internally, and for Android 15, it goes by the moniker Vanilla Ice Cream.

Google has initiated the testing phase for Android 15, conducting two developer previews and two beta releases. However, the final stable release is still a few months away. The release schedule for Android 15 involves beta versions continuing until July, around which time the platform is expected to reach stability.

This indicates that no further features or APIs will be introduced, allowing app developers to commence testing their applications against these finalized public APIs. Subsequent releases will primarily concentrate on bug fixes and minor feature enhancements.

Google has not provided a specific date for the release of stable Android 15 builds, but it’s speculated that they will coincide with the launch of the Pixel 9 series, potentially in October 2024.

If you own a recent Google Pixel device, you’ll likely be among the first to receive the Android 15 update. However, OEMs will need some time to develop and release their custom Android UX skins based on the Android 15 platform. Some Android Partner OEMs are participating in the Android 15 Developer Preview program, allowing select non-Pixel devices to receive Android 15 Beta 1 updates, albeit without OEM-specific customizations for the most part.

For those willing to take matters into their own hands, a guide will be available to install Android 15 on their phones independently.

After Android 15 is officially released, OEMs will initiate their own beta programs for their customized skins, followed by stable releases. You can monitor the update status for your phone using our Android 15 update tracker.