With Android 15's hidden opt-out, app developers may not be locked into an Android phone's edge-to-edge display.

Android does not force apps to occupy the full screen, but does offer it as an option. This allows developers to draw content below the status bar and navigation bar. However, some apps avoid using this setting because of the complexity of the UI. Google aimed to solve this by using an insert that specifies which parts of the app's screen interact with the system UI.

However, with the release of Android 15 everything was supposed to change. When the first beta version was released, it was revealed that apps would be displayed end-to-end by default. Google released some developer documentation, tutorials, and Codelabs to help developers deal with this new enforcement. However, a report from Android Authority revealed that there is an API that apps can use to opt out.

This API has to do with an attribute called windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement. This attribute is currently set to false by default. However, apps can set this attribute to true and ignore the rule. It should be noted that this workaround has an expiration date, as it states "This attribute will be deprecated and disabled at a future SDK level.

While the edge-to-edge display is impressive, it is not the only feature coming in Android 15. Android 15 may have features as big as iOS 18, but it also has a wealth of quality of life improvements. The main change in the latest beta version is the removal of the traditional PNG-centric emoji in favor of vector graphics. The final release will also include new accessibility features such as adaptive vibration, along with new connectivity and security features.

It is not unreasonable to give developers an opt-out and allow them time to prepare, and hopefully most apps will be able to implement edge-to-edge displays without much trouble. If it can be done, the next generation of foldable devices, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the upcoming Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, could be high on our list of best foldable devices.