Android 15 DP 2 released with improved foldable screen support, official satellite connectivity features

Android 15 Developer Preview 2 was released by Google on Thursday, allowing developers to try out an early version of the company’s next major operating system update for Android smartphones. The second preview comes with several improvements to existing features, as well as new features that take advantage of modern smartphone hardware, including satellite connectivity and foldable screens. Apps will also get new capabilities, such as detecting when the screen is being recorded. Most of these features are expected to be part of the first open beta scheduled to arrive next month.

One of the most notable new features coming with Android 15 will be satellite connectivity. While manufacturers can always build in support for these features, the arrival of official support means that the user interface for this feature should feel more cohesive across different satellite networks — including new UI elements such as a status bar icon and interactive notifications, while apps can also detect when a handset is connected to a satellite and offer messaging services.

Near Field Communication (NFC) support has been improved on devices running Android 15, allowing smartphones to “watch” or listen to NFC readers without responding to them. Meanwhile, Google will allow apps running on Android 15 to determine when the screen is being recorded, allowing them to prevent potentially sensitive information from being displayed on the screen at the same time – apps like Google Pay currently offer this functionality when screen recording is enabled on iOS.

Foldable smartphones — especially clamshell-style phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra — currently offer manufacturer-optimized support for running apps (or widgets) on the smaller outer cover of the screen. With Android 15, app developers can declare a property that will allow those apps to run on the screens of foldable phones, despite their small size, according to Google.

With recently added support for the CTA-2075 volume standard, Android 15 will allow volume consistency across different types of content — meaning you won’t be constantly reaching for the volume buttons to adjust the volume of your phone. The Settings app has also been updated with a section called Audio sharing which will allow you to manage your Auracast (a new Bluetooth “broadcast” feature) sessions.

Google will also allow developers to set a specific HDR level, allowing their apps to balance HDR and SDR content, rather than the parts of the screen showing the former overriding the parts showing SDR content. You’ll also be able to configure the app backup feature through the Settings app, choosing to back up or restore apps directly through the Settings app.

All of these features are currently available in the latest Android 15 DP 2 build and are expected to make their way to the public betas that are scheduled to start rolling out in April. Some of these features may be further improved, expanded or removed in future releases. A clearer picture of Android 15’s features will likely emerge when the software reaches platform stability starting in June, according to the company’s timeline.