Android 15 is released! The first emteria Beta version of the Android 15-based Raspberry Pi image is ready for installation. The new release is available for Raspberry Pi 5. Raspberry Pi 4B, CM4 and 400 PC will follow shortly.
Android 15 on Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful combination that opens up a world of new projects, whether you're a hobbyist, developer, or a tech enthusiast from another realm. With Android 15, you'll experience smoother performance and enhanced security features.
Android 15 focuses heavily on under-the-hood improvements and developer-facing changes. This time there are fewer major user-facing features compared to some previous releases. The update aims to improve stability, security, and lay groundwork for future feature development.
We'd like to highlight what we consider to be the two most interesting updates in Android 15: the change to "16 KB page size" and “borderless app display”.
Note: Page sizes dictate the level of detail with which an operating system handles memory allocation.
The support of 16 KB page size is a change in Androids' memory management. Before Android 15, 4 KB page sizes were used. The introduction of 16 KB page size has some benefits that make it one of the more exciting upgrades in Android 15.
Benefits of 16 KB page size based on Googles internal tests:
Sounds pretty good but also comes with a downside. The boost in performance is based on increased memory usage. We are talking about 9% additional RAM compared to the former 4 KB page sizes.
But Android 15 lets the developer choose between 16 KB and 4 KB smoothing the transition. This "page-size agnostic" approach might be useful in certain situations where memory usage is better kept low.
All of Googles OS binaries and filesystems (e.g. EROFS, F2FS) are ready for 16 KP page size.
The change has implications for app development. We are not going to describe them here you can check out Google's documentation (here and a more general overview of the 16 KB page size here).
Displaying apps without borders is a significant shift in how apps are presented on screen.
Starting from Android 15 app content will be displayed from edge-to-edge. This design shift replaces the previous display method in which a bar was placed under the navigation areas at the top and bottom of the display.
Here is a picture for better illustration:
Edge-to-edge app display | Source: Own illustration / Canva
This display method is familiar from the home screen design. The transparent bars allow for a seamless visual flow from the app's content to the edges of the screen, eliminating the solid-colored bars.
Apps designed for Android 15 (API level 35) will automatically transition to an edge-to-edge display format, eliminating the need for developers to manually activate this feature.
We'll leave the intro of other improvements, new features, and changes to Google. Their blog did a great job of thoroughly describing what they've been working on in the last year (here).
Considering you ended up here, you are a rather curious person. Curiosity is a great reason to update and test Android 15 for Raspberry Pi 5.
An even better reason is security. With all major version updates, Android gets security improvements that make sure security vulnerabilities are closed, bugs that could be exploited are fixed. This way the user stays safe, and their devices up and running.
Preparation is the third reason. Trying the latest Android 15 version gives you a test device. This way you gain insights on which preparations to take in app development and how to prepare to roll out this latest version to further devices in case you are running Android on a whole fleet of Raspberry Pi-based devices.
This is why we suggest to download and install the Android 15 beta version right away to at least one of your devices. But be aware it is a beta version, so there will be some hiccups along the way that we are still working on.
If you are experiencing any issues, post them in our forum so we can work on implementing fixes before releasing the stable live version.
At emteria, we are aiming to make it as easy as possible to run, customize, and maintain the Android OS on various hardware, including custom industrial boards and off-the-shelf devices like the Raspberry Pi.
That's why our Android OS for Raspberry Pi not only delivers the full Android experience to your Pi but also introduces very useful features:
There are two ways to run Android on Raspberry Pi 5:
Whether you choose the emteria Installer or the official Raspberry Pi Imager, both methods are straightforward and will have your Raspberry Pi up and running on Android in no time.
Android 15 is officially listed within the Raspberry Pi Imager. You can download the Raspberry Pi Imager here (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS).
Source: Raspberry Pi Imager / Screenshot
Insert your SD card in your PCs card reader and launch the Imager, which hosts an extensive list of devices and operating systems. Pick Raspberry Pi 5, then search for Freemium and paid-for OS options.
You get Android for 3 devices for free. There are no hidden costs for our Free plan. No credit card is required!
Pick Android by emteria and choose Android 15 for Raspberry Pi 5.
Insert the SD card you want to flash. We recommend at least 32 GB. Please note that the OS can not boot from a USB stick. Write the Android 15 image on to your SD card.
After completing the writing process, you can take the SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi. Make sure it is powered off. Connect your peripherals, then power up your Raspberry Pi.
Your Pi will boot from the SD card, now running the freshly installed Android 15.
Sign up for an emteria account to activate your Raspberry Pi Android 15 device. With a free account, you get additional features and remote management capabilities.
This step is optional. Please keep in mind that without registration, features like device management and OTA updates are not available.
Using the emteria Installer is just as easy as opting for the Raspberry Pi Imager.
Source: emteria Installer / Screenshot
To use the Installer you need an emteria account. Create an account by following this link and verify your email address.
After signing up, navigate to the Downloads section and select the Installer version that matches your PC's operating system (Linux or Windows). Download and open the Installer.
The Installer asks for your credentials, sign up again. Insert a SD card (at least 32 GB) and select Raspberry Pi 5.
Use the release channel drop-down and opt for Beta. Then proceed to select Android 15 (emteria.OS v15) and click CONTINUE. Now, choose the SD card you inserted earlier and FLASH Android 15 for Raspberry Pi 5 onto it.
Voilà! Your Raspberry Pi 5 is now powered by Android 15!
Activate your free plan to unlock the full set of emteria's powerful functionalities and features.
Find more tutorials on how to get Android running on your Pi in our Knowledge base.
Explore this set of tutorials to guide you on your journey:
We trust that you'll find Android 15 on your Raspberry Pi to be an exciting upgrade! If you have any questions, ideas, or simply want to share your journey with us, we welcome you to join the conversation in the emteria forum.
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