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Android 15 is a waste of a software upgrade for my new Pixel - what is Google doing?

By Martin Filipov

Published: Dec 05, 2024, 1:37 PM

17comments

This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

Android 15 is a waste of a software upgrade for my new Pixel - what is Google doing?

When Samsung announced the Galaxy S24 series almost a year ago, and promised a whopping 7 years of OS updates, I was a little bit jealous of those who’ll get to enjoy this unmatched level of software support. And that’s coming from an iPhone user, which means something given the fact the iPhone has been the gold standard when it comes to reliable software support pretty much since its inception.

However, a few months into 2024, I started noticing that such a generous promise for software support wasn’t magically going to make phones last longer - let alone stay faster over time.

I’ll discuss this in a future story, but in a nutshell, I started noticing some slowdowns in my iPhone 13, which is only three years old at this point, which made me question how would an Android phone hold up when it’s six years old, and it has to run new, demanding features on top of old ones?

Aside from that, Samsung launched the Galaxy A16 with the crazy promise for “6 years of OS updates” - and that’s a budget phone, which shows lag pretty much when you take it out of the box.

And now comes the most recent reason I’m starting to ask myself whether software updates matter as much as we thought they do - Android 15…

Android 15 update on my Pixel - does it take away more than it gives?

As a Pixel (9 Pro Fold) user, I’m lucky to get the latest and “greatest” Android updates basically as soon as Google pushes the update launch button, and that’s pretty cool considering there are phones, which run almost a whole year behind when it comes updates (Hello, Moto).

However, I can’t help but notice that after booting up my Pixel on Android 15, I haven’t really noticed anything new in the look and feel of the phone. It looks and feels pretty much the same as Android 14, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it begs the question… was this update even necessary? At least in this version.

That being said, there are some new/updated features here and there, and it would be unfair if I didn’t mention them. So here’s a quick breakdown:

New Android 15 features according to Google

Sensitive notifications: Prevents malicious apps from reading one-time passwords (OTPs) - OK, I guess…
Predictive back: Lets you preview the results of a gesture navigation before committing to them - how is that even mentioned as a new “feature”?
Virtual MIDI 2.0 devices: Allows composition apps to control synthesizer apps as a virtual MIDI 2.0 device - nice, if you care (you probably don’t)
Better screen recorder: Includes partial screen recording
Satellite connectivity: Allows you to send and receive messages without cell service
In-app camera controls: Includes more controls for the camera
Low-light boost: Improves the camera’s performance in low light - allegedly
Bluetooth pop-up dialogue: A new Quick Settings tile that makes it easier to manage Bluetooth connections - whatever…
Theft protection features: Helps keep your sensitive information protected from theft and fraud
Private space for sensitive apps: Allows you to create a private space for sensitive apps - sounds useful
Multitasking capabilities: Pin and unpin taskbar - I was already doing that on Android 14?!
Redesigned settings app: Includes a new Home Control Screensaver and Widget Button

As you can see, Google has gone out of its way to mention “features” like “previewing the app screen when pressing the back button”, and a “new Bluetooth tile”.

Overall, I find Android 15 to be almost a total waste of an upgrade, with 2-3 notable new features that are worth mentioning. It’s more of an Android 14S update, which could’ve easily been called a Feature Drop.

My $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold effectively gets only 5 major OS updates instead of the promised 7 - here’s how Google made it happen

However, my biggest problem with this is (and you probably saw that coming) that my Pixel has effectively lost a major Android update without gaining much in return.

In other words, my Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and other phones with a promise of 7 OS upgrades (Galaxy S24, Pixel 9) are now effectively getting 6 instead of 7 major updates - because I don’t see how Android 15 can be called a “major update” when it has brought less changes to my Pixel than Google’s frequent Feature Drops.

But that’s not all - I also haven’t forgotten that the Pixel 9 series (including my $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold) launched with Android 14 right before Android 15 came out. This Google move (effectively) kills off one more major update, leaving Pixel 9 users with 5 instead of 7 OS updates. For now.

Speaking of Feature Drops, I’ll give Google credit for gradually adding new regular/AI features to Android 14 through quarterly updates, but this doesn’t mean they should effectively waste Android 15 before quickly moving on to Android 16.

Let’s hope the useless Android 15 version will be the last of its kind

And while I’m at it, let’s mention one more important detail, which is that Android 16 is now pretty much confirmed to launch much earlier than usual (June 2025 with the beta dropping as soon as January!), which is a clear sign Google wants to get past Android 15 as quickly as possible.

While I’m fine with the earlier release of Android 16 since it means the new Pixel 10 will launch with the new version of Android out-of-the-box (and the new Pixel 9a will get it much sooner than usual), this would mean we’re getting two “major” Android updates in a span of 8 months.

I hope this release schedule isn’t Google’s “new thing”, because if new Android versions (especially ones as “significant” as Android 15) start dropping every 6 months, this would effectively turn phones with “up to 7 years of OS updates” into phones with 3.5 years of updates.

That being said, I doubt that’s Google’s ultimate goal, and I hope the Android 14 - 15 -16 transition is the last of its kind, and future Android versions will be more… meaningful. To say the least...

And now… let the “what about iOS” comments begin! Wink, wink.

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.