Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1: After releasing the stable version of Android 15 for Pixel devices in October 2024, Google has now launched the Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 update. According to reports, this update offers a preview of several upcoming features expected in the next Pixel Drop. Released on November 12, the update is compatible with various Pixel devices, including foldables, but is available only to users enrolled in Google’s Beta Program.
Google has outlined the Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 update on its official Android Developer page. Although we couldn’t test the new beta ourselves, Android Authority reports that a new customizable Do Not Disturb mode is included. This feature allows users to set rules based on specific needs, addressing limitations of the current presets. A new “Modes” menu reportedly enables users to create custom modes, complete with personalized names and icons. Once set up, users can assign schedules to these modes.
Additionally, Android Authority notes the return of the Icon Shape Customization feature, which was last available in Android 11 but removed in Android 12. It appears Google might be reintroducing this popular feature in time for the next Pixel Drop. Though not visible in the current Wallpaper and Style settings, a tipster accessed it in an early version of the Pixel wallpaper app, suggesting an imminent release. The updated app reportedly includes tabs for adjusting icon shape and layout.
Other notable features in this update include a Linux Terminal app, allowing developers to run Linux apps in a virtual machine, improved touchpad and mouse settings that let users customize the pointer color, and the ability to control the mouse cursor using a keyboard’s number pad.
The Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 update also delivers the long-awaited kernel update, upgrading Pixel devices with older Tensor processors (G1, G2, and G3) to Linux 6.1. Google’s latest devices, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, already run on this updated kernel.
