If there are three notable new features of Android 15, they are the anti-theft protection lock, the private space and even the archiving of applications. The first and third have a clear purpose: protecting your cell phone from potential theft on the one hand and saving space on the other. As for the private space, I thought I wouldn’t use it too much since I only use my phone and I don’t have anything particularly sensitive that I want to protect more (I take good care of my privacy and keep it up to date and configured according to my needs), but then I discovered a use which My perception of private space has changed: separate applications.
Let me explain: even if I have a phone for personal use (an iPhone) and a Google Pixel to experiment and keep up to date with what’s happening with Android, in the end I use both in my daily life to personal and professional things. The problem ? That message that comes to you outside of work hours or that task I left half-finished that I could solve in an instant. I admit that it is difficult for me to disconnect and that I take advantage of every moment to solve pending tasks or find ideas. But Disconnection is important and in the private space I found my perfect ally.
The private space is the ideal tool for organizing professional and personal moments
We have already explained to you in detail how the private space works, but it basically creates a kind of vault where you can duplicate applications (or just leave them there), specially protect their contents or simply, separate applications…precisely what I did. You can use another Google account, it is “hidden” in the bottom area of the menu (although it can be hidden perfectly) and adds an extra layer of security where you can put your fingerprint, pattern or a PIN .
Because ultimately, a private space creates a perfectly differentiated digital environment for storing media, applications and even information. Applied to work, for example to backup applications that I only use in this scenario, like Slack or my work Gmail account and everything it hosts. The idea was to create a balance on my phone between personal and professional, but obviously I also gained in organization and confidentiality.
Because by creating a private space, It has its own Play Store, Google Photos, Files, Contacts and Chrome And if you use your business account, then everything is organized and kept there, of course, with the same synchronization as when I normally use it on my cell phone or computer.
But it also has its own configuration, which allows blocking the private space by default (this way you don’t receive alerts from there) and accessing it in a few seconds after unlocking it with my fingerprint. So I go from personal to professional just with the touch of a finger.
However, the private space was created with privacy and security in mind and it shows. This doesn’t happen to me because I usually carry my Android phone with me or leave it in my desk or laptop bag, but if it fell into other people’s hands and they somehow managed to unlock it, they would still have to break an extra layer of security to access whatever I keep there. Note that this has another advantage: applications that we install and request additional permissions will not have access to the work contacts that I have stored in my private space.
Yes, I already know there are modes like Do Not Disturb that help digital disconnection by minimizing notificationsbut in the end having your professional applications in view has the side effect that you end up logging in when it’s not the time, so with a private space I have them on my mobile but as if I didn’t have them (because I don’t have them I don’t see them right away and I don’t fall into temptation).
Cover | Eva Rodriguez de Luis
In Xataka Android | I updated my mobile to Android 15 and it’s clear to me which new features I like the most. Some have gone unnoticed