The highly anticipated Android 15, set to launch later in 2024, may come with a new feature that blocks the installation of certain apps. Codenamed “Vanilla Ice Cream,” this mobile OS has already made its debut with the release of the first and second developer previews (DP1 and DP2) on February 16 and March 21, respectively.

Currently, on Android 14, users can run apps that are targeting Android 6.0 at a minimum. This change was introduced with Android 6.0 to enhance user privacy by shifting to a more user-friendly approach regarding app permissions.

Before Android 6.0, users would grant permissions to apps at the time of installation, without fully understanding the implications of these permissions. With Android 6.0’s introduction of runtime permissions, users are now prompted to grant permissions individually when the app needs to use a specific feature.

In the world of Android app development, “targeting” refers to specifying which version of Android an app is designed to work best with. By targeting Android 6.0, developers ensure their app is compatible with devices running this version and newer.

According to reports from Android Police, Android 15 is raising the bar by no longer allowing the installation of apps targeted for Android Marshmallow (version 6.0). The new minimum requirement is now set at Android Nougat (version 7.0).

During testing with the latest Developer Preview 2 release of Android 15, it was observed that apps built for SDK version 23 (Android Marshmallow) were blocked from installation on devices running this OS.

Rest assured that your current apps should continue to work seamlessly on Android 15 without any issues. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new release!