Since Google released the Pixel 9 running Android 14, we’ve been wondering what the heck was going on with Android 15. But despite rumors that the new OS wouldn’t be ready until October, Google has confirmed that Android 15 is finally ready and is being released today.
This doesn’t mean you can go out and download Android 15 right now. It doesn’t work like that. What this means is that Android 15 is ready, and has been released to the Android Open Source Project. According to Google, the first phones to get the update are “supported Pixel devices in the coming weeks”.
So there’s no set timetable, but it’s no surprise that Pixel phones are at the front of the line — that’s a big reason why people buy them, after all. It’s unclear in what order Pixel phones will get the update, but presumably, Google will be rolling out from newest to oldest. So, the Pixel 9 series should be the first to get Android 15, while the Pixel 6 series will likely be the last.
Other phones mentioned in Google’s announcement come from the likes of Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi. These phones should get an Android 15 update “in the coming months.”
How long it takes will depend on the phone makers and how proactive they are at adapting Android software for their devices. Samsung has sped up this process a lot over the past few years, and we can expect it to be one of the first big phone makers to release Android 15 — likely as part of the OneUI 7 update.
What features are new with Android 15?
On the surface, Android 15 doesn’t look like a particularly exciting update. Still, it seems that Google has done a lot of work behind the scenes to make Android 15 a better experience for users and developers alike.
Those updates include upgrades to typography and non-Roman fonts and alphabets, as well as updates that let developers give users a better camera experience. That means there are improvements to low-light photography, the option to adjust camera flash strength, better MIDI app support and more.
Google's also just announced native earthquake detection for Android 15 users in the U.S., the ability to search for song audio with Circle to Search, AI enhancements for Android's screen reader TalkBack, while Chrome will be able to read web pages for you to save you from having to read them yourself.
Privacy is taking center stage with Android 15 as well, with the addition of a number of different features to keep your data safe and secure. Private space lets you hide and secure apps that may have sensitive information — or stuff you straight-up don’t want anyone else to see.
Single-tap passkey support is also coming to autofill, while app developers will be able to detect better when they’re being recorded. Then there’s Theft Detection Lock, which locks your phone down if someone snatches it from your hand, and real-time fraud protection that lets Google Play Protect detect when malicious apps might misuse device permissions for their own nefarious purposes.
On top of that, Google has added a few quality-of-life upgrades like better large-screen multitasking, edge-to-edge display support by default, more AR content in Google Maps and the ability to add passes and tickets to Google Wallet from a photo.
How to upgrade to Android 15
If you already have a device running Android 14, there’s not much you need to do except wait. Make sure automatic updates are switched on in the settings menu. Pixel owners will be notified when Android 15 is available, and all they need to do is set the update to install immediately or overnight.
If you’re already using the Android 15 beta, things get a little tricky if you want to transition to the public version of Android 15. You ignore any prompts to update your phone until Android 15 has started rolling out and install the stable version of Android 15. Then, you can opt out of the beta on the Android 15 beta website without having to factory reset your device.
Alternatively, you can also reset your device so that it’s running Android 14 and restore all your files and data from a backup. Just make sure to back everything up first.
