New Android Feature Could Save Battery by Turning Off Your Screen When Not in Use

Google is testing a new feature for Android that will automatically turn off the screen when you’re not using your device. The feature, called Adaptive Timeout, is part of the Android 15 Beta 3 release, a Google spokesperson told CNET on Friday.

The feature appears to use sensors such as proximity detectors to determine whether you’re using your phone, and if not, it turns off the screen, helping to preserve the battery life of your device. News of the feature was earlier reported by 9to5Google, which said that though it’s been added to Android test software, it doesn’t appear to function yet.

Google announced earlier this week that it has hit “platform stability,” meaning the company’s planned new developer programming features, including those meant to help improve battery life and app performance, have been finalized ahead of release.

The company is expected to continue publicly testing its Android 15 software through the summer, after which it’ll send finished versions to manufacturers such as Samsung, OnePlus, Nothing and Motorola. Last October, Google offered free Android 14 software updates to owners of its Pixel phones.

Google’s move to add smaller yet notable new tweaks and features to its Android software follows a long pattern of companies tinkering with their products during wider testing ahead of release. Apple similarly has added and removed various features from its test software at times, typically in response to feedback or because they couldn’t be implemented as intended within the company’s own self-imposed deadlines.

Sometimes, companies make major software changes during public testing. Microsoft notably removed one of its key features for Copilot Plus PCs just before they hit store shelves this week. Days before launch, Microsoft said it would not be including its Recall feature, which was designed to use a mix of regular screenshots and artificial intelligence to help people more easily backtrack through documents, apps and websites. Privacy and security experts worried Recall could be a serious risk to users, prompting Microsoft to spend more time testing the technology and bolstering its security.