Android 15 takes a big step towards launching – and could get a major settings and biometrics boost

Beta 3 has landed

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Android 15is one step closer to being finished, as beta 3 has now rolled out to Pixel devices enrolled in the beta program. This comes around a month after the launch ofthe second Android 15 beta, and the main addition here is Private space.

This feature has appeared in unfinished form previously, but now it’s fully available to beta users, allowing them to hide and lock sensitive apps.

Android 15 beta 3 also includes other small changes, such as graying out an app’s widgets when you force close it (as force closed apps now can’t automatically relaunch), and, as usual, there are numerous bug fixes too.

If you have aGoogle Pixel 6or newer and you’re enrolled in the beta program, then you’re able to get beta 3. The update should be sent to your phone automatically, but you can also manually look for it in Settings > System > Software update > System update > Check for updates.

Slicker settings and better biometrics

In any case, we’ve also heard of several features and improvements that could be coming to later versions of Android 15. These include changes to the layout of the settings screen, withAndroid Authorityfinding code in the beta that suggests the top-level settings page will be organized into visually distinct sections.

These sections will place similar settings pages next to each other, making it easier to find the settings you’re looking for.

Additionally,Android Authority has also foundevidence that theoperating systemwill be able to automatically delete face or fingerprint scans if they aren’t working well, and prompt you to set them up again. This could make biometric authentication faster and more reliable than it sometimes is currently, since you won’t be trying log in with a fingerprint that hasn’t been accurately registered for example.

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And finally,the same sitealso found evidence that Android 15 will change what it labels as fast charging from 7.5W to 20W. Even the latter isn’t particularly fast, but 7.5W is slow by just about anyone’s standards, so the current labeling is misleading.

It’s worth noting that these features might not actually make it to the finished Android 15 release, since whileGoogleappears to be working on them, it’s possible that the company will decide against launching them. Still, we think there’s a good chance we’ll see all of this in Android 15.

The finished version of Android 15 will probably launch sometime between August and October based on past form, so there’s still a little while to go. But if you just can’t wait that long, here’show to download the Android 15 beta.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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