Amid Android 14 testing and beta firmware, we are now getting some new rumors about the forthcoming version. According to the details, Android 15 is already tipped to make changes to the NFC (Near Field Communication) stack and system updates in the future.
Recently, the Android observer @MishaalRahman found new codes in the Android Open Source Project. Eventually, the tweaks said that the company is planning to turn the NFC stack into a modular system component, i.e., a Project Mainline module.
Further, the analyst shared a description reflecting the AOSP code: Modify protection level for SUBSCRIBE_TO_KEYGUARD. This element is required by the NFC stack (which is a platform APK currently but is in the process to become a mainline module in the future).
In other words, the NFC stack would be updated independently of Android system updates with the Android 15 upgrade. To be specific, this implementation will help Google to patch up the loopholes found in the NFC stack even faster, instead of waiting for the phone makers to release a new update.
Since the change has just appeared, we cannot expect it in the Android 14 ground. And that’s what the tipster says. Perhaps, the latest input is the best fit for the Android 15 that will make its way to the consumer platform, next year.
It’s not the first time when Google is planning to split some key elements from the Android system. Previously, the tech giant has turned many components into Mainline modules to update them independently. This ultimately aids the manufacturers to offer fixes and better optimizations rapidly, even for older devices.
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Apart from the NFC stack, features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Ultra-wideband already count in the Mainline module. Moreover, Android 14 is promoting the division of the share sheet from the system updates to provide new feature updates swiftly. It would be worth seeing how well these initiatives will be beneficial for users in the time ahead.
Following the Bluetooth, WiFi, and UWB stacks, Google will next turn Android's NFC stack into a modular system component, ie. a Project Mainline module!
It's too early for this to happen in Android 14, but the NFC stack could become a Mainline module as early as Android 15. pic.twitter.com/55icKYJsdz
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) May 8, 2023
