Google Pixel 9 handsets could miss this key software upgrade on day one

Google is preparing to announce its latest flagship devices, with the Made by Google event scheduled for 13 August, and plenty of leaks pointing to four different Pixel 9 devices. But new information suggests that Google might not deliver one of the expected software elements on launch day.

Android 15 has been in development for some time, with the final beta out in the wild and plenty of anticipation about what this software will offer. While it's not going to deliver many feature changes, the new software will continue to tighten up on security and efficiency. But the Pixel 9 might not launch with Android 15.

According to the details from Android Headlines, the Pixel 9 devices – that's the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold – might launch on Android 14 instead.

That would be out of character for Google, with previous new hardware launching with the latest software. When the Pixel 8 launched, Android 14 was already available and according to the schedule for Android 15's availability, it should be happening around the same time as the launch of the new phones.

The source gives no reason for this quirk of software omission, so it's difficult to judge exactly what might have happened here. Either this was Google's plan all along, or there's been a last minute delay that's thrown a spanner in the works.

What are the potential implications of launching on Android 14?

When Google launches its new Pixel devices, many of the headline features aren't dependent on the version of Android that the phone runs. So it's likely that the Pixel 9 will launch with the new features it's expected to offer, such as the clever Add Me feature for the camera and the call transcription feature.

Google will also promise 7 years of software updates for the phones, so it's not as though those buying the Pixel 9 devices are going to run out of support. Sure, in 2031 there might be someone who snorts with derision, but it's unlikely to make any difference.

But there will be an impact on public perception here. Can you imagine Apple launching a new iPhone on old software? It doesn't happen. Apple announces the new model, tells you when you can buy it and makes the new software available. It's all very slick – and it looks like the Google launch won't be quite as much.

What's happened here is that the date of the Pixel launch has come forward a couple of months. Originally, the Pixel Fold launched in August 2023, but the Pixel 8 devices were then announced in October 2023. For 2024 and the Pixel 9, the timeline is squeezed with all devices expected in August instead.

It just looks like the software hasn't kept up with the programme.