This has been an unusual year for Android updates, as Google decided to launch the Pixel 9 phones in August rather than October. Google wanted to make a big point with AI, even if that meant having the Pixel 9 run last year’s Android 14 release at launch.
The Pixel 9 comes packed with Gemini AI features that are available right away to consumers. That’s certainly a marketing win for Google in its battle with Apple. The iPhone 16 is currently sold as an AI phone with no Apple Intelligence features on board, even though Apple advertises AI in its iPhone 16 ads. That’s pretty embarrassing for Apple, especially since Google has so many AI features that are already available — but it’s unclear if the Pixel 9 phones will sell any better than their predecessors.
Fast-forward to mid-October, and Google finally released the Android 15 update for the Pixel 9 and other compatible Pixel devices. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to roll out its first few Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone later this month.
But not all Android users will get to update their handsets anytime soon. Samsung is one of the outliers, with its phones not set to receive the Android 15 update until sometime in 2025.
Update delays have always been a problem for Google’s Android platform, but things have improved significantly in recent years. Even Samsung got better at updating its Android phones to the latest version of Android. Let’s also not forget that Samsung has been upping its game when it comes to software guarantees.
The Galaxy S24 series will get 7 years of Android and security updates. Other flagships, like the 2024 Galaxy Z foldables, get the same 7-year treatment. The upcoming Galaxy S25 series will probably feature the same software guarantee. More impressively, the recently released Galaxy A16 entry-level phone will get 6 years of support.
That’s a great development, even though Android updates will be delayed compared to Google’s Pixels.
Meanwhile, 9to5Google reports that several Android vendors have already committed to deploying Android 15 to their customers in the near future.
Vivo announced a few weeks ago that it will soon upgrade the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, the Vivo X100, and the Iqoo 12 to Android 15. Motorola is rolling out Android 15 to Edge 50 Fusion models. Other phones will get the update, but there’s no timeline in place. Asus has opened an Android 15 preview program for the ROG Phone 8. Oppo is expected to give various Android phones, including OnePlus-branded models Android 15 in the near future.
More vendors will likely follow, considering plenty of non-Pixel devices also got access to Android 15 betas earlier this year.
Back to Samsung, don’t expect any surprises regarding Android 15. The company said a few weeks ago at SDC 2024, its developer event, that Android 15 will not launch on phones like the Galaxy S24 until 2025. Samsung said, “The official version of One UI 7 with all of the game-changing AI features will be released next year with the next Galaxy S series.” That’s the Galaxy S25, of course.
This follows delays with One UI 7, the new user interface Samsung has built atop Android 15. You can’t launch one without the other.
The good news is that if you own one of Samsung’s 2024 flagship phones, you’ll probably be among the first to test One UI 7 and Android 15 in beta. That should happen before the end of the year, but there’s no firm release date in sight.
The Galaxy S25 series will probably launch in mid-January, just like its predecessor.
