The first Android 15 beta has been released, and it's not just a developer preview either; according to Google, it's time to release the software to early adopters As long as you have an eligible Pixel phone, that is

However, this is far from a stable version of Android 15 The idea behind public beta testing is that it is easier to find problems with the software with a large group of people than it is with an in-house team of testers But that means that those eager to try out the latest features of Android 15 can now do so

While some of these features may not work as Google intended, there are plenty of cool new features available right now Below are the biggest changes that have appeared in the Android 15 beta

As rumored, Android 15 apps have edge-to-edge display turned on by default This means that app windows will extend to the edge of the display even when system bars, such as the status bar at the top of the screen, get in the way

This is important because it means that random black bars will not appear on the screen even when the system bar may change position, such as when the phone is in landscape mode The same applies if the status bar disappears for any reason

Modern smartphone displays are much larger, and it would be a shame not to take full advantage of that space So Android 15 confirms that it does indeed happen

Google first announced archiving support for apps last year, and Android 15 adds support for this feature at the OS level This means that it will be easier for apps to implement archiving In doing so, users will be able to partially delete apps that they do not use that often, freeing up space on their phone's storage

App archiving deletes the app's APK and cache files, but leaves user data behind Users can also see which apps they have archived and can tap on them to restore them to their full state

The Android Contacts app will now feature end-to-end encryption to better protect the contact list A small change, but definitely welcome if you have important numbers or details in your contact list

Android 15 has greatly increased support for non-traditional writing styles One major change is the accessibility feature, which adds TalkBack support for braille displays connected via USB or secure Bluetooth using the HID standard This will allow Android to support a number of Braille displays over time for those who need them

Security is a major focus of the Android 15 developer preview, and the beta version reveals some of its enhancements: one is cellular network security, which will warn users if they are connected to an unencrypted network Another option appears to require encryption and prevents connection to unencrypted networks

Android 15 also appears to allow the device to not share its name with the Wi-Fi network it is connected to, alongside the option to use a randomized MAC address

Google has also confirmed that Android prevents malicious background apps from forcing other apps into the foreground and generally abusing their privileges

There is also an option to change the default wallet app in case there is a reason Google Wallet does not work These apps can still store payments and loyalty cards, among other things, and changing the default should mean that Android will jump to the wallet of choice first, rather than letting it run everything through itself

Android 15 Beta is not available to everyone and you must have the appropriate type of Google Pixel if you wish to install Android 15 Beta Eligible devices include Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet

This means that if you have a Pixel 5a or earlier, you will not have access to the beta or even the stable version of Android 15 when it comes out; see our guide on how to install the Android 15 beta

Google's official Android 15 timeline does not appear to have changed since the first developer preview was launched earlier this year This means that we still don't know exactly when Android 15 will be released to the general public

The only thing that is certain is that there will be new beta releases in the coming months, and the big feature releases should be finished by the end of June After that, Android 15 will enter "Platform Stability" and will be ready for a broader release A new beta will still be released, but its changes will likely be limited to bug fixes and other minor changes to make sure everything works as expected

Google has not yet told us when the broader release will take place, so we can only speculate Typically, new versions of Android are released in late summer However, in the past Google has been known to delay the release to coincide with the release of the latest Pixel phones in October

This was the case with Android 14 and Android 12, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that the same thing will happen this year But it is equally likely that the upgrade will come sooner; until Google actually tells us, we won't know for sure