Android 15 to get two useful new features

In the Android 15 operating system, users will be able to monitor the wear and tear of the internal memory chips of their devices. It will also be possible to quarantine suspicious applications.

Wear of internal memory in percentage

The new feature, which was noticed in the beta version of the operating system, will allow you to track the life of the internal memory chips, reports the Android Authority portal. Drive status information will be displayed in the new Device Diagnostics app. With the new storage lifespan API, users will be able to see the remaining lifespan as a percentage.

This API provides data collected by the operating system and helps improve device maintenance, including by optimizing how unused blocks are handled in the file system, which in turn helps extend flash memory life.

It is important to note that the accuracy of the memory life display will depend on the specific device model, its manufacturer, and the memory chip supplier. Some smartphones, including Google's Pixel devices, will show up to 1% remaining memory life, but other models may be in the tens of percent.

Quarantine for suspicious applications

The Android 15 operating system will also feature the ability to quarantine suspicious applications. According to the Android Authority portal, currently the built-in Google Play Protect system used on smartphones simply removes dangerous programs.

Removing potentially dangerous applications is considered an effective method of combating threats, but sometimes the system may mistakenly classify safe applications as dangerous. Implementing quarantine will allow applications to remain on the device, but they will be inactive.

A quarantined application will be visible in the list of applications, but its functionality will be limited. When attempting to launch, the user will receive a notification about potential danger. These apps will not be able to run in the background, send notifications, access sensitive information on the device, or update themselves.

Thus, quarantined applications do not pose a threat to users, since they are limited in their functionality and cannot interact with the system. The criteria by which Google Play Protect will determine whether to quarantine an app have not yet been disclosed, but it is expected that the decision will take into account various factors such as the presence of vulnerabilities in the code, suspicious behavior and user feedback.

The full release of Android 15 is expected in the fall of 2024. Smartphones of the Pixel 6 series and later models will be the first to have access to the update.