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The Google Pixel 9 may not have the Android version you expected

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Official teaser of the Google Pixel 9 Pro.
Google

Google’s holding its next big event on August 13, where we expect to see the new Google Pixel 9 lineup, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and other goodies. But Google may end up doing something very odd, considering the timing of the event. The Pixel 9 series may not ship with Android 15, breaking a longstanding tradition.

In the past several years, Google has always launched the newest Pixel phone with the newest version of Android, which only makes sense considering Google creates both the hardware and software. In 2021, the Pixel 6 series launched with Android 12. Then, the Pixel 7 launched with Android 13, and last year, the Pixel 8 launched with Android 14.

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The Pixel 9, however, looks like it could break the chain. According to a report from Android Headlines, the Pixel 9 will launch with Android 14 out of the box. This would be the first time that a new Pixel phone would ship without the newest version of Android.

Currently, Android 15 is in the fourth beta phase, which is the last beta update we’re expecting before the final release. Theoretically, this should mean that Android 15 could be dropping any day now, and with the Made by Google event being on August 13, we’ve assumed it would be shipping with the Pixel 9 devices.

The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Previous years have shown that Google has a varying release schedule between hardware and software. Android 12 launched in October 2021, Android 13 came out in August 2022, and Android 14 dropped in October last year.

This hasn’t usually been an issue since Google launched phones in October, but this year, we’re getting new Pixels two months earlier than usual. This definitely complicates the software release schedule a bit.

Another complication that can arise from this is Google’s promised seven years of software updates. The seven-year guarantee kicks in the moment the device is available on the Google Store. With an August 2024 launch, the Pixel 9 should be supported until August 2031. If we follow the current software release cycle, Google should be working on Android 22 in seven years (from Android 15).

Of course, Google could accelerate or even slow down the software release cycle timeline in the future to adjust for the seven years of support. Or perhaps it could make an exception to this unique case with the Pixel 9.

We really hope that this isn’t the case, but we don’t have much longer before we find out. Google’s Made by Google event will be on August 13, 2024.

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Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan
Staff Writer, Mobile
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
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