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Android 15: Expected Release Date and Rumors
Even though all hopes were high that it would make an important announcement alongside the launch of the Pixel 9 series, Google didn’t release Android 15. The release timeline, however, was shared by the company, and it looks very similar to what happened with Android 13 and Android 14.
Testing of Android 15 is currently at its beta stage. Google released Beta 4 on July 18 which could be an indication of the nearing release of the final version. This stage is very vital in the testing and rolling out of the software for the fixing of issues before it reaches the general public.
Beta Testing and Device Compatibility
The latest beta of Android 15 is now available for Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, the Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold devices. The new version is available for manual download by users on their devices. Moreover, once the final release is made, it will support the new Pixel 9 series.
The reason for this, in the case of users with incompatible devices, is that Google has another way: the emulator through Android Studio. Through the Android emulator, the Android OS is simulated so that a user can even test Android 15 without having a real device. It is also available on other OEM models such as Samsung, OnePlus, Nothing, OPPO, Xiaomi, and HONOR.
Timeline of Final Release
In fact, with the release of Beta 4 last July, when the platform was already considered stable, a full launch can actually happen very soon—perhaps even next month. Of course, there is no official statement from Google on which month it will be, but looking at the pattern, it could also turn out to be similar to how Android releases were previously done. For example, Android 14 was released alongside the Pixel 8 series.
It’s likely that, since the Pixel 9 came out this year on August 13 packing Android 14, Android 15 will be a bit later. We can expect Android 15 stable update by the end of this year and bring new features and improvements to compatible devices.
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to arrive with Qualcomm’s next flagship chip—the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2—according to leaked firmware files. It will also ship with One UI 8.5 based on Android 16 right out of the box.
This lines up with a recent report from tipster Ice Universe which highlighted Samsung’s new strategy. Under this approach foldable phones receive the newest One UI version first and then it gets refined for the Galaxy S series.
The leaked firmware was found on Samsung’s own server suggesting the company is already testing One UI 8.5 for the S26 lineup.
The firmware includes the serial number PMK8850 which likely belongs to Snapdragon’s next-gen chip. For comparison the Galaxy S25 Ultra used the Snapdragon 8 Elite which had the 8750 serial number. So it’s quite likely that the S26 Ultra will continue using Qualcomm’s top-tier chipset.
However not all models in the Galaxy S26 series may use Snapdragon. The regular Galaxy S26 and S26+ are expected to feature Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 processor. This chip is said to offer strong CPU and GPU performance. Another report claims that Samsung has also found a way to improve the Exynos 2600’s cooling which could make it more reliable.
A new video has surfaced online showing the iPhone 17 Pro in multiple colors. These are not real working phones but dummy units which means they are empty inside but still give us a good idea of how the final product will look.
The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be officially launched in September along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series. The launch date could be September 8 or possibly the 9th or 10th.
One of the biggest changes seen in the dummy models is on the back of the phone. The new design includes a large camera island that stretches almost across the entire width of the phone. This style is similar to Poco phones from around two years ago.
While the cameras remain in the same positions as before they are now part of a much larger design area giving the phone a new and bold look.
Fans will have to wait a bit longer to see the real thing but these dummy units give a good early look at what’s coming next from Apple.
Himanshu Tandon, the head of POCO India, has stepped down from his role and is likely to join the smartphone company Nothing in August. According to a report by Moneycontrol, he is expected to lead Nothing’s CMF division.
Tandon was part of the founding team of POCO and became the head of its India operations in 2022. He worked under Sandeep Singh Arora, Xiaomi India’s Chief Business Officer, who joined the company from Samsung earlier this year.
This is the second major leadership change at Xiaomi India in less than a year. Earlier, in November 2024, Xiaomi India’s President Muralikrishnan B also left the company.
Xiaomi Faces Market Challenges, POCO Shows Growth
Tandon’s exit comes as Xiaomi is facing tough times in India. In the second quarter of 2025, the company’s smartphone shipments dropped by 25% compared to last year, falling to 5 million units. Its market share also dropped from 18% to 13%.
Despite this, POCO performed well. It increased its share of Xiaomi’s shipments in India from 30% to 41%, with 2.03 million units sold. According to Canalys, POCO’s success came from targeting Gen Z users, offering gaming features, and growing offline sales through JioMart Digital.
Tandon Likely to Lead Nothing’s CMF Division
Tandon is expected to join Nothing’s affordable and design-focused brand CMF. The London-based company recently shifted its global marketing team to India.
Nothing’s CMF brand, led by company co-founder Akis Evangelidis in India, has seen fast growth — 229% in Q2 — thanks to products like the CMF Phone 2 Pro and Phone 3a series.
Both Xiaomi and Nothing are expected to officially announce Tandon’s move in the coming days.