Arrival of Android 15 Beta 2

 Android 15 Beta 2 will be available any time now

Historically, an Android Beta is released shortly after the main Google I/O keynote. This year, the focus was on artificial intelligence across the company’s platforms. On the mobile OS, we got Gemini app updates and the future of Gemini Nano, including what on-device capabilities it will soon power. Google dedicated most of the Google I/O 2024 keynote to Gemini and AI announcements, relegating Android 15 to the next day. Following are the some of the important points:-

Google conventionally announced the new Android beta during the keynote, but AI announcements have taken centre stage this year.

Google confirmed at the Google I/O 2024 keynote that Android 15 Beta 2 will be available the next day.

On the first day of I/O 2024, Google talked all about AI during the Android section of the main keynote. It’s saving Android 15 news, including Beta 2, for next day. 

The Android 15 Developer Preview started in February and has progressed in a straightforward manner. There are some UI tweaks, but nothing major just yet. Of note is how some of these changes have already trickled down to the Android 14 QPR3 Beta, which should hit stable next month. At Google I/O 2024, Google devoted practically all of the keynote to delivering its AI announcements around Gemini and other allied products and services. Consequently, what once used to be a big highlight of Google I/O 2024 (but not the only reveal), the new betas of Android, have been moved to the second day. We’re still looking at this with a “glass half full” mentality, and so Google has confirmed that Android 15 Beta 2 is launching tomorrow!

Google hasn’t revealed any details yet on what the new Beta will include, but at least this announcement will calm down the nerves of anyone expecting a new Beta (who’d be surprised at the lack of one). The Betas are still expected to be geared towards developers. If you don’t count yourself as an app developer or an advanced user, then you should wait for the Android 15 stable builds, which will come later in the year. The last updates arrived in quick succession with Android 15 Beta 1.2 in late April. Beta 2 on Wednesday should include major changes that coincide with Google detailing the tentpole features of this year’s release. For the Android 15 Beta 2, you can expect the following devices to get an installable build:-

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Google Pixel 6a

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

Google Pixel 7a

Google Pixel Fold

Google Pixel Tablet

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

Google Pixel 8a

Google having so much to announce that it decided to split the news over two days is promising after last year’s single mention of Android 14 during the keynote. It also somewhat reflects how I/O is back to being a multi-day (two), in-person event. Actually, the conference is spilling over into a third day since the online sessions will be released on Thursday in another change. Prior to Google’s announcement, some OEMs confirmed their participation in the Android 15 Developer Preview program. Through this program, select smartphones from participating Android partners will allow app developers and advanced users to install Android 15 on their devices to experience the new update and test app compatibility. This first release from Tecno, OnePlus, Realme and Nothing comes with Android 15 Beta 1 and it lacks most of the usual customizations that the OEM would have made for their UX skin. Again, these builds are intended for developers and enthusiasts, and they contain bugs, so we recommend caution and a data backup before proceeding to all users.