Android 15 has already made headlines for the features we’ve seen in developer previews. And now reports suggest Android 15 will also raise the bar for the apps that can be installed.
Android 15 pulls the plug on apps built for Android Marshmallow
Up until Android 14, apps designed for Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) could be installed without any problems. But in the future, Google may restrict the installation of apps that target the now long-ago Android version. Android 15 may only allow the installation of apps that target Android 7.0 (Nougat) or later.
Most apps are targeted at a specific Android version, which tells users that the app has been tested and works without any glitches on that particular Android version. That doesn’t mean it won’t work on newer versions; just that it’s ideally designed for a different version.
Apps do get updated over time, and can be targeted at higher versions of Android, if not for improved security and privacy, then at least to enable newer features. And it looks like older apps will be kicked to the curb soon, as Android 15 will not allow installation of apps designed for versions lower than Android 7, which is now the new floor.
