Mario Bautista
Key Takeaways
- Vivo has become the first to roll out Android 15 on its flagship devices with its Funtouch OS 15 update.
- Android 15 hasn’t officially launched on Pixel devices yet.
- Funtouch OS 15 brings features like AI-powered Eraser, shadow removal, and Live Transcribe tools.
The Android 15 rollout has been a bit unusual this year. We received the first Developer Preview back in February, with the beta arriving in April. Even the stable version has been uploaded to AOSP. What’s more? We even have the second beta of Android 15 QPR1 (the mid-cycle update), yet here we are in September 2024, and Android 15 still hasn’t landed on any Google Pixel devices — including the newly launched Pixel 9 series.
It’s the same story for Samsung, who, like Google, typically rolls out the latest Android updates first. Surprisingly, Vivo has managed to beat both Google and Samsung by rolling out Android 15 to its flagship devices first.
According to reports on X/Twitter (via Ishan Agarwal and Alvin), Vivo is already rolling out the stable version of Funtouch OS 15, which is based on Android 15, for its flagship devices. The update is reportedly rolling out to the Vivo X100 series, Vivo X Fold3 Pro, and even the iQOO 12. Although Vivo is set to officially launch Funtouch OS 15 on September 30, 2024, it seems the company has started the rollout early, with some devices already receiving the update.
Vivo beats Samsung and Google in rolling out Android 15 for its flagship devices
Funtouch OS 15 is Vivo’s custom skin based on Android 15, which brings its own features on top of what Google has built in the latest Android update. Alongside the standard Android 15 features, Vivo is introducing several AI-powered features to its flagship devices, such as an AI Eraser in the Gallery (which, we assume, would work similar to Google Photos’ Magic Editor) and a shadow removal tool. The update also includes a Live Transcribe tool.
Android 15, on the other hand, introduces new features like Private Space for managing private apps (something Vivo devices already offer), partial screen sharing, and native support for satellite connectivity. Still, it’s surprising to see Vivo beat both Google and Samsung to the punch. With Google’s rollout expected to start in mid-October, this marks the first time an Android update has been delivered on non-Google smartphones before hitting the Pixel lineup.
