Android 15 Will Bring Adaptive Vibration To Get Your Attention Better
You might have missed it between all the raving about Google's Gemini AI, but Google I/O included some juicy details on the next version of Android. After releasing the first Android 15 beta earlier this year, Google has now moved on to the second beta release, and it includes a feature that could make your phone less disruptive while also keeping you abreast of notifications. It's called Adaptive Vibration.
This feature, which you can only access in Android 15 beta 2, is housed in the Vibration & Haptics settings menu. It's just a simple toggle on and off with no additional settings; all the magic happens without any input on your part. The idea is that your phone will be able to understand its environment to adjust the intensity of vibration to get your attention without causing a distraction to those around you.
Google says that Adaptive Vibration will leverage your phone's microphone and other sensors to make this determination. However, in the interest of privacy, the data that feeds into this feature will not leave your phone, reports Android Authority.
Google hasn't explained precisely how it will adjust vibration intensity with this feature, but we can make some guesses based on the helpful animation on the settings screen. If your phone is on a soft surface like a couch, vibration will be dampened. So, Adaptive Vibration would make the phone shake harder to get your attention. If you place it on a table, a full-power vibration will rattle and shake nearby objects. Therefore, Adaptive Vibration knows it doesn't need to ramp the vibration motor all the way up.
If you want to tinker with this and other upcoming features, you'll have to join the Android 15 beta, which is easiest if you have a Pixel phone from the last few generations. You can just head to the Android Beta landing page, sign in, and opt-in with your compatible phone. Then, you'll get an OTA update. Keep in mind that moving off the beta branch requires a full factory reset of your phone. Several other OEMs also offer the beta, including OnePlus, Nothing, and Xiaomi, but the installation process will be managed by those companies and not Google.
The final version of Android 15 is expected to debut this fall, probably around the same time we get final launch details for the next-generation Pixel 9 series.
