Google's occasional habit of injecting changes into its many software products and services is something that's usually hit or miss with a lot of users. This looks to be the case as seen with the Android 15 Developer Preview, which lets users install an "experimental" version of Android 15 onto their devices.

With that in mind, Google might be planning on switching things up again, with regards to Android's user interface. The folks over at Android Authority report that we might see changes to the status bar icon designs, at least according to the current Android 15 preview. Users who have been on Android since the days of version 5.0 might remember Google beginning to implement its "Material" design language, which eventually developed in "Material You."

As such, the status bar icons have since looked mostly the same, appearing as shapes without any segmentation. With the Android 15 preview however, Google has changed the icons to feature a segmented look, resembling their appearance on older versions of Android.

Earlier on, it was also reported that we might see changes to Android 15's on-screen volume slider, which will now shift to a horizontal layout across the screen. With all that being said, it looks like Android 15 will be arriving with a ton of changes to the UI.

It's not that hard for your carrier to know where you are at all times. This is because when you're hooked to one of their towers, they have an idea of where you are. If you're feeling a bit iffy about this, then you might be interested to learn that Android 15 could offer a greater degree of location privacy on your phone, even from your carriers.

According to a report from Android Authority, it seems that the upcoming Android 15 update will allow users to block your location from your device's cellular radio. If you're concerned about how this might impact emergency calls or text messages, don't worry. It seems that this feature will block your location for non-emergency use cases.

This means that in the event of an emergency, carriers will still be able to ping your location. Android already allows users to block location access from apps. This is possible because when it comes to location access on apps, developers will need to access Android's API to do so. It's a different story when it comes to your device's cellular radio.

This is why this change is important because it will give users a bit more control over it. It should be noted that this won't hide your phone from your carriers completely. Like we said, when you're connected to a cell tower, your carrier already knows roughly where you are. This is more to prevent very specific location tracking.

The Android 15 update will be released later this year. But if you're curious about what kind of changes and new features the update will bring to the table, you won't have to wait much longer. This is because Google has released the first Developer Preview of Android 15.

As with most updates, Android 15 will introduce a bunch of new privacy and security features to better protect Android users. Google is also integrating Android 14 extensions around Health Connect by Android, a centralized platform for all your health and fitness related data. We can also look forward to more granular controls when it comes to screen sharing and Android's camera.

There are probably a bunch of other features that Google hasn't publicly announced yet. We'll have to wait and see what else turns up. Keep in mind that developer previews are just that, previews. As we've seen in the past, sometimes some features found in the preview don't make it to the final cut.

There are many reasons for this, so don't get your hopes up just yet. Google has released the Android 15 Developer Preview for download, but this is aimed more at developers. For end users, it's probably not a good idea to use this as your daily driver. If you have a spare phone and you're curious, then maybe you could take it for a spin. Otherwise, you're better off waiting for the public beta or the final release.

A noteworthy update has been rolled out to Pixels on the latest Android 14 QPR2 beta, bringing an exciting new feature that is set to improve user experience. Users can now enjoy an expandable Quick Settings tile, specifically designed for Bluetooth, which is poised to completely transform the way users connect or disconnect their favorite devices, providing a much more intuitive and interactive experience.

Before this update, the Bluetooth tile on Pixel phones functioned as a basic toggle. Simply tapping it would enable or disable Bluetooth connectivity, and a long-press was required in order to establish a connection with a specific device. This action would then prompt the full Settings app to open, directing them to the Bluetooth page. This process, although it worked, was not the most efficient or convenient and would sometimes result in accidental presses that would turn Bluetooth off.

As reported by 9to5Google, the latest beta version of Android 14 QPR2 changes this behavior. The Bluetooth tile has received significant improvements, making it more interactive for users.

When you tap on the Bluetooth tile, a popup menu will appear, just like how it works with the Wi-Fi tile. The menu includes a toggle and a list of recently connected devices, along with any nearby devices that are ready for pairing. With this update, users can now effortlessly handle their Bluetooth connections right from the Quick Settings, without having to switch away from their current app.

Users who rely on the Bluetooth tile to easily toggle their connectivity on and off may need to make an adjustment with this update. It introduces an additional tap to the workflow, which could impact their efficiency. Fortunately, the general consensus regarding this change has been quite favorable. Being able to seamlessly connect to another device without having to switch apps, like sending audio to a nearby speaker without exiting a streaming app, has been widely praised as a major improvement.

We all have different apps on our smartphones, and for the most part it's generally the content of these apps that are private, less so the apps themselves. But in case there are some apps you use that you'd rather other people not know about, then an upcoming Android update could be for you.

According to a report from Android Police, it seems that Google is working on a feature for Android called "Private Space". This is a feature that will allow users to create a new private profile on their phones that can be locked behind a PIN or using the phone's biometric security, like fingerprints or facial recognition.

If you've ever used Android's Work Profile feature, then this is something you should be familiar with. In this private profile, users can hide apps that they don't want other people to see, like when you pass your phone to someone and they might scroll through your handset. It also hides the notifications coming from these apps, and the apps can only be found when searching for "private space" in the search bar.

If this sounds familiar, it is because Samsung has a similar feature for years called Secure Folder, but obviously that is a Samsung exclusive. With Private Space, Google will introduce it to Android and non-Samsung users will be able to take advantage of it as well. The feature appears to still be in development and it is unclear when it will be released, but the report suggests that Android 15 is a possibility, so don't expect to see it anytime soon.