Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 has a new predictive back gesture animation for keyboards

Although Google has yet to release stable builds of Android 15, the company has already rolled out a beta build of the platform’s first quarterly update. Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 recently reached beta testers with a couple of interesting changes, including a new predictive back gesture animation for the keyboard.

For the unaware, the predictive back gesture feature utilizes built-in animations to show users a preview of the screen they will land on when using the back gesture. It currently does not have an animation for when the keyboard is open, but the unofficial Google News channel on Telegram reports that Google has added it in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1.

As you can see in the video shared by the channel, the new animation shows that the back gesture will minimize the keyboard. The report adds that this new animation will only work in applications that have implemented the WindowInsetsAnimationCompat API. If an app supports this API, the keyboard animation will work even if the app does not support predictive back gesture. This should ensure that the animation works on more apps, as the required API has been around since Android 11.

Along with the new predictive back gesture animation for keyboards, Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 brings a new long-press animation for Quick Settings tiles, a new loading animation that appears after reboots, and settings to manage connected external displays. These changes will likely arrive with the Android 15 QPR1 update later this year in December.