Android 15 release date finally confirmed, but no clue on One UI 7.0 beta

Update 05/10/24: Samsung has finally confirmed that One UI 7 beta will be ready for developers before the end of the year, with the stable channel expected to hit the ground in early 2025. This means the Galaxy S25 series is in line to debut with the new Android 15 out of the box.

One UI has always been designed to bring users the most personalized, creative and productive experiences possible on mobile devices. Samsung previewed a sneak peek of One UI 7 at SDC24, highlighting its new UX focused on simple, impactful and emotive design alongside more ways to seamlessly integrate Galaxy AI features into daily activities. One UI 7 beta will be available to developers before the end of this year.

Original article follows:

We’ve gotten pretty spoiled over the years, haven’t we? New Pixel phones usually launch with the latest version of Android hot off the press. The Pixel 6 strutted onto the scene pre-installed with Android 12, the Pixel 7 followed up with Android 13, and last year’s Pixel 8 showed up rocking Android 14 at launch. Each time, the phone-and-OS pairing was like a perfectly timed dance. But Google hit pause on this rhythm with the Pixel 9 series.

Instead of debuting Android 15, the new Pixels came with last year’s Android 14 out of the box. The Pixel 9’s earlier-than-usual August launch might be to blame — perhaps Google just wasn’t ready to put Android 15 in the hands of users. But that’s not to say we’re not getting Android 15 anytime soon; the wait has simply become a guessing game. Ever since the Pixel 9 dropped, there’s been a steady flow of speculation on when Google would start rolling out the stable Android 15 update to eligible Pixel phones.

Back in August, the go-to guy for Android scoops, Mishaal Rahman, hinted that we shouldn’t expect the stable Android 15 update to drop in September. A September launch was wishful thinking, and Rahman suggested we circle October on our calendars instead. Fast forward to now, and we’ve finally got a solid date to look forward to, courtesy of an exclusive scoop from Android Headlines. Mark your calendars for October 15 — that’s when Google is expected to begin rolling out the stable Android 15 update to the Pixel 9 and other eligible Pixels. Sure, it’s still speculation, but at least this one comes with a date attached.

Meanwhile, Google’s already tossed Android 15 into the Android Open-Source Project (AOSP), letting third-party developers get a head start on their versions. The likes of Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus are already playing with Android 15 betas on various devices. But Samsung? They’re still off in the shadows, keeping mum about One UI 7, which is expected to be massive, at least according to a Samsung official, and based on Android 15.

Initially, Samsung was tipped to launch the first One UI 7 beta in mid-July. But when that didn’t happen, delays just piled up like unfulfilled promises. In early August, whispers started circulating that the update had been pushed back “indefinitely,” partly due to bugs needing squashing and the delay of Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1 rollout. That update finally saw daylight earlier this month, but the big question still looms: when on earth will One UI 7 make its grand entrance?

Samsung’s playing its cards close to the chest on this one. In a recent comment on Samsung’s forums, a moderator mentioned (via SamMobile) that they’d reveal the rollout date for One UI 7 “once the decision is made.” It’s the classic “wait and see” game, but let’s be real — Samsung probably has some idea of the timeline; they’re just not ready to go public yet. In contrast, the most recent One UI 6 beta and One UI 5 beta updates arrived in August of their respective years, so Samsung is already behind schedule.

There’s been some backstage action preparing for the One UI 7 beta, though, and with the Samsung Developer Conference scheduled for October 3, we might finally get the official word we’ve been craving. If anything, we could be closer to Samsung’s Android 15-based One UI 7 beta than we think.

Until then, Pixel users can count down the days to October 15, when the new Android 15 is expected to start rolling out. As for Samsung fans, keep that popcorn ready — it’s bound to get interesting real soon.