Updated privacy features have been added to Android 15 Beta 2

At Google I/O 2024, Google introduced Android 15 Beta 2, emphasizing fresh security improvements. With the help of the update's Private Space feature, users may now hide some apps on their smartphones- like social networking or banking—in a safe place. Surprisingly, the phone now features an anti-theft mechanism that locks it when it senses sudden movements.

It will allow users to hide certain apps (such as banking, finance, dating, or social media apps) on their smartphone in a secure location. Apps in the Private Space can be updated via a separate Play Store app and will also have access to their own storage area not accessible to other apps on the phone.

Google says that the Private Space feature is located in the default app drawer on Android 15. Users can scroll down to the end of the list of apps to reveal the secured app. This segregated application list can optionally be protected by a separate passcode — or using a biometric lock — while allowing them to completely hide its existence.

With Android 15, Google is also upgrading its anti-theft protections, making it more difficult for thieves to use a stolen phone that has been reset, without the previously used Google account credentials. Android 15 will also ask users for their biometrics when attempting to increase the screen timeout, accessing passkeys, or disable Find My Device.

Another powerful anti-theft feature coming to Android 15 is "Theft Detection Lock", or the ability to lock a smartphone when an "abrupt motion that could indicate theft" has been detected. Meanwhile, "Offline Device Lock" will also automatically lock itself if a user turns off access to the internet — something a thief might do after stealing a smartphone.

Remote Lock will let users send a command using a different number (when their handset is stolen) to lock and/ or wipe their phone remotely without logging on to Find My Device. Theft Detection Lock, Remote Lock, and Offline Device Lock are aimed at disincentivizing smartphone theft and will arrive later this year on handsets running on Android 10 and newer versions, according to Google.

Other features coming to Android 15 include the ability to automatically enable Bluetooth the next day — we can assume this feature is designed to help Google ensure its Find My Device network continues operating as intended. Google has also added improvements to the widget picker on Android 15, as well as a redesigned volume control panel that offers better reachability during one-handed use.