Last month Google quietly revealed Android 15 would be arriving in October as part of its release notes for the Android Beta Exit update – which is available to people who have been testing the OS ahead of its launch. Now a new report has revealed precisely when Android 15 might release for Pixel devices: October 15.
This comes via Android Headlines that reports that the Android 15 release date for Pixel 6 and later phones, is coming 42 days after the operating system’s source code went up on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). If correct, this would mark the longest delay between the AOSP release and the update being pushed to users, beating Android 12’s 15-day delay.
The hope is this extended wait time should lead to Android 15 being a lot less buggy and more stable when it finally comes out compared with previous versions.
While the date does match up nicely – a 15th of the month release date for Android 15 – it’s still worth taking it with a pinch of salt, as we recommend with all unofficial leaks. Android Headlines hasn’t revealed how it discovered the October 15 date, and it itself admits that the date could be pushed if Google’s bug-squashing efforts do not go according to plan.
It’s also worth highlighting that October 15 is being reported as the Pixel launch date for Android 15. Samsung, OnePlus, and other Android OS device makers will still be preparing their own versions of Android 15 to roll out to their phones. Though given the long delay time since being released on AOSP there’s a good chance these non-Google rollouts could follow more quickly behind the Pixel launch compared with previous years.
The wait will be worth it, however. Based on the betas so far there have been some very neat features shown off, such as…
A battery life boost
Android OS updates also come with subtle tweaks and optimizations that can have a significant effect on how your phone operates. One such upgrade was revealed by VP of Engineering for the Android Platform Dave Burke on the Android Faithful podcast earlier this year; he explained that devices running Android 15 can switch to the low-power doze mode around 50% faster than devices running Android 14.
The upshot of this is that Google saw as much as three extra hours between device recharges. Not every user will see as much of a battery life boost, but even an hour – or just half an hour extra between charges could be a massive helper for users – especially as a free update.
Android 15 should see the return of lock screen widgets (we’ve not seen them since the Android 4 days), and the possible addition of a Communal Space that allows multiple users to share access to apps on the lock screen.
The downside is we expect the selection of apps that support this feature at launch won’t be the most widespread – perhaps limited to tools like Google Calendar and Google Clock – though the delay between the AOSP release and Pixel launch may mean a few other services are ready to support lock screen widgets at launch.
Private Space
Taking a page out of Samsung’s book with its Secure Folder feature, Android 15 is adding a native version called Private Space. It’s a folder for apps that requires a password, PIN, or biometrics to open. Any apps in this folder will be completely hidden from anyone who can’t open it.
Gemini upgrades
Google’s Gemini AI is also getting a few Android 15 improvements as well. Ask Photos makes it easier to find old snaps using more natural language, and even use it to answer questions based on pictures you’ve taken.
Then there’s a new Gemini overlay that can answer questions about what it sees on your screen. While Gemini Nano will be an on-device version of Gemini that doesn’t need to share your information with a cloud – making it more private.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
