Android 15 in comparison to Android 14
So 2025 is going to be a weird year. We actually got Android 15 on Vivo phones before it even reached Pixel devices. Yep—strange times. But the official Android 15 update is here now, we’ve tested it, and honestly? It’s mostly meh because the changes across the system are very subtle. And when I say subtle, I mean the kind where if you blink even once, you’ll miss half of them.
If you want to know what’s actually new in Android 15 in comparison to Android 14, read this article till the end.
Visual Changes: Mostly Cosmetic, Barely Noticeable
Let’s start with visuals—because they barely changed anything.
The “New-ish” Volume Menu
The expanded volume menu now has a rounded pin-like slider instead of the old thin bar.
It looks modern, smooth, and honestly just feels more polished. And when you change the volume, the animation finally looks like it belongs in 2025—not 2018.
Direct audio switching is the real upgrade here. You can now choose:
Phone speaker
Bluetooth earbuds
Neckband
External devices
All from the volume page itself — no need to dig through settings like before.
Settings App Redesign (AKA “Let’s Copy 3 Different OSes”)
The “Settings” header vanished. Your Google account icon disappeared from the top (moved deeper inside).
And almost every item in the settings menu is now placed inside a boxed, bordered container.
It’s like Google took inspiration from:
iOS (for the account placement and search bar size)
Nothing OS (for the boxed layout)
OneUI (for the spacing and hierarchy)
And mashed them into something that actually looks clean.
Widgets Get Smarter
Widget changes:
No dragging to add widgets anymore — just tap “Add widget”.
A new row with widget recommendations:
Essentials
Suggested
Social
Basically Android saying:
“Hey, we noticed you only use two widgets anyway, but here — have some recommendations.”
Bluetooth Quick Toggle Improvement
Turn Bluetooth off → Android asks if it should auto-enable it tomorrow.
Small but thoughtful, especially for people who always forget to turn it back on.
Still No Big Visual Overhaul
For the fourth generation, Android still looks more or less the same.
Material You colors, rounded corners, pastel themes — all unchanged.
At this point many users are like:
“Google… you good?”
The Star of the Update
This is where Android 15 redeems itself a little.
Private Space — The Star of the Update
Private Space sits at the bottom of the app drawer. You can:
Hide apps
Lock it with fingerprint
Create duplicate instances of apps (like a second WhatsApp)
Install apps that don’t show up in the main drawer
It’s basically:
Secure Folder from Samsung
Dual Apps from Xiaomi
App Cloner from OnePlus
All merged into stock Android.
It’s one of the most practical additions in years.
App Archiving — Straight From iOS’ Playbook
Long-press → App Info → Archive
Android removes the app but keeps the data.
Perfect for apps you rarely use but don’t want to delete.
This is super helpful on 64GB or older phones where every MB matters.
Partial Screen Sharing
Sharing your screen now gives you two options:
Full screen
Only one app
All personal notifications get hidden automatically.
Perfect for:
Presentations
Work calls
Tech support
Those moments where you don’t want your friends seeing your 24 unread WhatsApp messages
Theft Protection — Actually Impressive
Theft Protection does several things:
Auto-lock the phone if it detects snatching (accelerometer + gyro + speed algorithm)
Track the phone even if the thief locks it
Use nearby Android devices (BLE mesh network) to ping location
Remotely lock, locate, or erase your device
We tried simulating a phone snatch… didn’t work. But hopefully it works in real scenarios.
Phone as Webcam (Finally Native!)
Connect via USB → Choose “Use as Webcam”.
Previously available on:
Motorola phones
Samsung with Dex
Third-party apps
Now it’s native. About time.
USB Transfer Fingerprint Authentication
Whenever you try to:
Transfer data
Use USB tethering
Debug using ADB
Android now asks for your fingerprint.
More security never hurts.
Adaptive Vibrations — The One Nobody Asked For
Phone vibrates softer in quiet places, harder in loud places.
Cool idea, but will your phone even detect the environment properly?
You’ll need a flagship with excellent haptics.
Animation & Performance Improvements
Smoother App Minimizing
The transition is more fluid, kind of like a toned-down iOS animation.
Not a huge deal, but it feels nicer.
Always-On Display Tiny Tweaks
There is a difference — but you might need a microscope to see it.
Settings Menu Micro-Animations
Opening and closing submenus gives you a tiny preview of the previous screen.
It’s subtle, but it makes navigation feel more organic.
Brightness Slider Gets a 50% Marker
This is probably the most useful small addition.
Finally, you know exactly where half brightness i
Features in Beta That Didn’t Make the Final Cut (Sadly)
We found some interesting things in beta builds that didn’t survive:
✔ Lock Screen Widgets (Pixel Tablet Only)
Google: Add this to phones. Please.
✔ A Samsung DeX-like Desktop Mode
Discovered by Mishaal Rahman.
If Google brings this back… Android laptops might actually become a thing.
✔ Battery Health Section (Like iOS)
Still missing in the final build.
And honestly? This is the ONE feature everyone wants.
Performance & Stability
We tested Android 15 on:
Pixel devices
Vivo devices
A few AOSP-based builds
Performance is:
Stable
Smooth
Slightly better multitasking
Faster app launch times
Improved thermal management
Battery life is roughly the same as Android 14 — maybe slightly better on Pixels due to background app control improvements.
Final Verdict: Android 15 Feels Like a Half-Step Update
When we started researching Android 15, we hoped for big, meaningful changes.
Instead, we got:
Minor animation upgrades
Subtle UI tweaks
A handful of genuinely useful features
Nothing groundbreaking, nothing revolutionary.
Android 15 feels more like Android 14.3 than a full version jump.
It’s high time Google considered a major visual refresh.
Material You was introduced years ago — and it hasn’t evolved much since.
What do you think of Android 15? Let me know in the comments.
And as always—keep tracking and stay safe.