Android 15 and a Pixel Feature Drop are here to give your phone a pick-me-up

After a slightly longer lead up than usual, Android 15 is finally rolling out to phones and tablets starting today. The new update will hit Pixel devices first, and Google is using the software release to also introduce its Pixel Feature Drop for October, with a new photo mode, and more than a few Pixel 9-exclusive features that are now making their way to older Pixel devices.

Android 15 was officially introduced during Google I/O 2024 with a focus on security, privacy, and safety. The update includes new ways to secure and hide apps on your Android device, a Theft Detection Lock that can automatically lock your device when it detects it’s been stolen, and improved satellite communication support for Google’s Satellite SOS feature. The highlight of the Pixel Feature drop is a new Underwater Photography mode that will automatically kick into gear when your phone detects you’re photographing something underwater, but Google is also bringing quality of life updates to older Pixel devices like the Pixel Weather app, and Audio Magic Eraser.

The update is available to download now if you have a Pixel, and should be rolling out to other supported Android devices over the next few months. Here’s what you’ll get when you download:

The marquee features of Android 15

Private Space, Theft Detection Lock, and better tablet support

Android 15 isn’t the flashiest of updates, but it still includes some clever Google features. Case in point, Theft Detection Lock, which uses your phone’s sensors (presumably the accelerometer) to detect when its been snatched from your hand, pocket, or bag and automatically locks your phone, so the thief can’t access your information. Google is also introducing the ability to lock your phone remotely if you think it’s been stolen, and can now require additional authentification if you remove your SIM card (something a thief might do in the process of reselling a stolen phone).

Private Space, another new feature, has been available in the various beta versions of Android 15. It introduces a separate section in your app library for sensitive apps you might not want someone to see or access. This section is partitioned off from the rest of your phone (apps have to be installed in Private Space separately and have separate notifications and settings) and is biometrically secured, so only your face or fingers will give you access.

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Given the growing list of Android tablets and foldables, Android 15 also includes some interface improvements for devices with larger screens. You’ll be able to pin the taskbar to the bottom of your screen so that it’s also visible, regardless of how many apps you’re using. You can also create a shortcut for apps you regularly pair together that you can place on the homescreen, so that you can jump right back into your favorite pairs as soon as you unlock your device.

The highlights of the October 2024 Pixel Feature Drop

Underwater Photography, Weather, Audio Magic Eraser, and more

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Google is always tinkering with the Pixel’s camera, and as part of its fall Pixel Feature Drop, it’s now adding a new feature: Underwater Photography. Using machine vision, your Pixel 9 will automatically detect when you’re photographing something underwater and toggle on Underwater Photography mode, which makes colors that might be normally dulled by water “look richer and more accurate.” For older Pixels, Google is introducing some of the headlining features of the Pixel 9 to older phones, including the Pixel Weather app and improvements to astrophotography, which will be available on the Pixel 6 and up, and a new interface for measuring temperature, that was introduced on the Pixel 9 Pro and will now come to the Pixel 8 Pro as well.

Google/ Pocket-lint

In terms of new explicitly AI features, Gemini Live, the feature that lets you have a live back-and-forth with Google’s AI assistant, will now be available on all Pixel Buds, instead of just the Pixel Buds Pro 2. For anyone who uses Pixel Screenshots, Gemini will also be able to find things for you in the Pixel Screenshots app without you having to open it.

Google Fi

Google’s Fi Wireless app makes it easy to sign up for cell service, pick out a plan, and even order a new phone from the same app. When you want to switch to a new phone, just download the app again.