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In a surprising twist of events, we can confirm that the Google Pixel 9 series will be launching on Android 14. This is a bit strange since Google has never launched its flagship phones on an older version of Android, especially when they are set to release Android 15 any day now (technically). While Google typically launches the a-series on the older version of Android, those typically launch around the time of the beta launch of a new version of Android.
Google already pushed out the final scheduled beta earlier this month, and the next release should be the stable build. While Google doesn’t say when that will happen, based on previous releases, it could be anytime between tomorrow (August 1) and the end of October. So, no matter what, the Pixel 9 series will be on Android 14 for a very short time.
Is Android 15 being delayed again?
Last year, Android 14 was delayed due to a number of bugs that were found. It then launched alongside the Pixel 8 series in October. Prior to the Android 14 launch, Google typically launched the new version of Android either in August or September. Android 13 launched in August 2022, Android 12 in October 2021, Android 11 in September 2020, and Android 10 in September 2019.
So it may not be delayed, instead it’s likely scheduled for September. Which means that some people that pre-order the Pixel 9 series a bit later on, might have an Android 15 update waiting for them out of the box.
Although the Pixel 9 series is launching with Android 14, Google still promises a robust 7 years of support, including Pixel Drops, OS updates, and security patches. This means these phones will be supported until at least August 2031. However, there’s a chance they might miss out on Android 21 if it launches after that date, following Google’s typical update schedule. But, for now, in 2024, this is a distant concern.