Google has announced a LOT of new fraud and scam protection features for Android 15 and Google Play. These include:

- OTP redaction in notifications. OTPs are now hidden from untrusted notification listeners. Wearable companion apps will still be able to read OTPs, though.

- Notification, OTP, and login redaction during screen sharing. During screen sharing, private notification content, apps that post OTPs, and pages where you enter credentials will be automatically protected from remote viewers.

- Partial screen sharing. This was technically introduced on Pixel with Android 14 QPR2, but Google’s mentioning it here because it’s coming to other devices in Android 15. Coming later: A more prominent screen indicator while screen sharing.

- Expanded Restricted Settings. Google is expanding restricted settings, a feature that requires additional user approval to enable permissions when installing an app from an Internet-sideloading source (like a web browser or file manager). (I previously reported on Enhanced Confirmation Mode in Android 15; I believe Google is referring to this.)

- Cellular cipher transparency. As I previously reported, Android 15 will notify you if your cellular network connection is unencrypted which could expose SMS and voice traffic to interception. Requires OEM integration and compatible hardware.

- Identifier disclosure transparency. Android 15 will alert you if a potential false cellular base station (stingray) is recording their location using a device identifier. Requires OEM integration and compatible hardware.

- Live threat detection through Google Play Protect. This uses on-device AI to analyze behavioral signals related to the use of sensitive permissions and interactions with other apps and services. Suspicious apps are sent to Google for additional review; Play Protect will then warn the user or disable the app if malicious behavior is confirmed. This feature is coming to Pixel, OPPO, Honor, Lenovo, OnePlus, Nothing, Transsion, Sharp, and other manufacturers.

Android 15 Beta 2 is HERE! Beta 2 brings loads of new changes and features. Here’s a summary:

- Private space is here! This feature, as I previously reported, lets users make a separate space where they can keep sensitive apps away from prying eyes. It makes a separate user profile that’s paused when the device is locked. Private space apps show up in a dedicated container in the launcher and are hidden from recents, notifications, settings, etc. when the profile is locked.

- App pairs are here! As I previously reported, Android 15 now lets you save a pair of apps to launch in split-screen mode.

- Predictive back is enabled by default! You no longer need to enable a developer option to see the system animations for back-to-home, cross-task, and cross-activity in apps that have properly migrated.

- Apps can now highlight only the most recently selected photos and videos when partial access to media permissions is granted.

- Apps targeting Android 15 can provide Remote Views to the Widget Picker so they can update the preview to be more personal/relevant.

- Health Connect adds 2 new data types: skin temperature and training plans.

- If your system language is set to French, you can now change how the OS addresses you (grammatical gender) by going to language settings.

- Android 15 Beta 2 lets apps set rich vibrations for incoming notifications by channel. This lets users distinguish between notifications by haptics.

- The animation for entering PiP mode in Android 15 is now smoother. This will benefit apps having UI elements overlaid on top of their main UI that enters PiP. Apps can now receive a callback when the PiP enter animation starts so they can quickly toggle irrelevant UI elements.

- Android 15 blocks apps that don’t match the top UID on the stack from launching activities. This is to prevent malicious apps within the same task from launching another app’s activity then overlaying themselves on top.

- New APIs to perform permission checks on content URIs.

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