Alexander Lewis 
Apr 05, 2024
Google is actively preparing for the launch of Android 15, with its developer preview program, which began in February 2024, making strides towards the final stable release expected later in 2024. A notable addition to the recent Android 15 Developer Preview 2, released in March, is a feature designed to boost app and data privacy on Android devices.
This new feature, dubbed "Adaptive Timeout", has been identified through code strings in the preview version. Its function is described as automatically switching off the device's screen sooner if it's not in use. While specifics on its operation are not provided, it's speculated that the feature might utilize a combination of the device's sophisticated sensors and front-facing cameras to determine user engagement with the phone.
The discovery of these codes in the Android 15 Developer Preview 2 highlights an intriguing aspect: they belong to classes under the com.google.* namespace. This detail implies that Adaptive Timeout might be exclusive to Google’s own version of Android 15, particularly for its Pixel smartphones, rather than being a standard feature in the open-source version of Android 15.
Read more: Latest Android 15 update — All you need to know
Adaptive Timeout is set to be a smart addition, capable of discerning whether a user is actively using the phone. In instances of inactivity, it will promptly turn off the screen, thereby bolstering both data privacy and battery life. The feature's efficiency in saving battery power is particularly noteworthy, as prolonged screen activity is a known contributor to rapid battery depletion.
Android smartphones currently offer settings to extend the duration before the screen times out. Additionally, Samsung and Pixel phones feature technology that keeps the screen active while it detects a user’s face. This face detection is typically done via the front-facing cameras, ensuring the screen stays on for as long as someone is looking at it. Adaptive Timeout takes this concept further, promising enhanced security and energy efficiency for Android users.
