feat(news): add article about android 35 ui changes

Author: marchbold

news/2025-08-08-android-35-ui-changes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+---
+title: Android 15 UI Changes
+description: User experience and system UI changes in Android 15 (v35)
+image: images/android.png
+authors: [ marchbold ]
+tags: [ android, tips ]
+---
+
+Android 15 (API v35) includes some changes that are intended to create a more consistent, intuitive user experience.
+
+:::note
+You can read the official release of this information here: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/15/behavior-changes-15
+:::
+
+## Window inset changes
+
+There are two changes related to window insets in Android 15: edge-to-edge is enforced by default, and there are also configuration changes, such as the default configuration of system bars.
+
+### Edge-to-edge enforcement
+
+Apps are edge-to-edge by default on devices running Android 15 if the app is targeting Android 15 (API level 35).
+
+
+An app that targets Android 14 and is not edge-to-edge on an Android 15 device. The application is contained within the window insets.
+
+![](images/android35-edge-to-edge-4.png)
+
+After updating your target sdk to 35 you will find that your application is now expected to handle the window insets and is rendered edge-to-edge. However, many elements are now hidden by the status bar, 3-button navigation bar, or display cutout due to the Android 15 edge-to-edge enforcements. 
+
+![](images/android35-edge-to-edge-6.png)
+
+You will need to update your application to correctly handle rendering within the window insets and render within these bounds so UI elements are not hidden.
+
+![](images/android35-edge-to-edge-2.png)
+
+
+### Handling window insets
+
+To get the safe area to render you can use the [Application](https://airnativeextensions.com/extension/com.distriqt.Application) extension to retrieve the display cutout information:
+
+```actionscript
+var displayCutout:DisplayCutout = Application.service.display.getDisplayCutout();
+```
+
+This object contains 4 properties: `safeInsetBottom`, `safeInsetTop`, `safeInsetLeft`, `safeInsetRight`, each indicating the number of pixels from the edge of the screen that system bars or cutouts may affect.
+
+There is also an `boundingRects` property containing detailed areas for any cutouts that may affect rendering.
+
+
+You can use this to apply bounds to your root content "safe area", eg using a starling `_safeArea` object for rendering UI elements you can use something like the following :
+
+```actionscript
+if (Application.isSupported)
+{
+    var cutout:DisplayCutout = Application.service.display.getDisplayCutout();
+    var topInset:Number = cutout.safeInsetTop / _scale;
+    var bottomInset:Number = cutout.safeInsetBottom / _scale;
+    var leftInset:Number = cutout.safeInsetLeft / _scale;
+    var rightInset:Number = cutout.safeInsetRight / _scale;
+
+    _safeArea.setTo(leftInset, topInset,
+        _stageWidth - leftInset - rightInset,
+        _stageHeight - topInset - bottomInset);
+}
+```
+
+:::note
+If you use immersive mode or change display modes at any time in your application you should ensure to reapply these corrections afterwards. 
+:::
+
+
+### Cutouts 
+
+If your app targets SDK 35 and is running on an Android 15 device, `LayoutMode.CUTOUT_ALWAYS` is the default behavior. This means that if you were previously relying on setting the LayoutMode eg via calling 
+
+```actionscript
+Application.service.display.setDisplayMode( 
+    DisplayMode.FULLSCREEN, 
+    LayoutMode.CUTOUT_NEVER );
+```
+
+this will be interpretted as "always" and your content will be drawn into cutout regions.
+
+
+
+
+### Opt-out
+
+As a temporary workaround you can opt-out of this edge-to-edge enforcement in v35.
+
+:::caution
+This option to opt-out will be removed once you update to target v36, so this workaround should only be treated as temporary.
+:::
+
+Firstly, create a custom resources folder in your application and package it according to the guide [here](https://airsdk.dev/docs/tutorials/platform/android/custom-resources).
+
+Under your resources folder create a `values-v35` folder and add a file `styles.xml` into this folder with the following content:
+
+```xml title="styles.xml"
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<resources>
+
+    <style name="Theme.NoShadow" parent="android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar">
+        <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
+        <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement">true</item>
+    </style>
+
+</resources>
+```
+
+The `android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement` option is the critical one that will disable this edge-to-edge enforcement for Android 35.
+