Google’s Android 14 release plans may have hit a snag

Summary

• Although Android 14 was expected today, it seems that this year’s OS update was delayed at the last minute, which managed to catch even the OEMs by surprise.
• According to Mishaal Rahman, Android 14 has been delayed to an October 4 release date, the same day Google plans to announce the Pixel 8.
• The delay could impact when current OEMs update their smartphones to Android 14, with OnePlus notably announcing the launch of OxygenOS 14 in September.

After five betas, a couple of developer previews, and months of waiting, it looked like today might be Christmas for the Android enthusiast community. But instead of waking up this morning to find a new stable operating system update waiting to be installed on your phone, all Google had to offer was a quarterly feature release paired with a logo redesign. If it looks like Android 14 was due to arrive today, there may be something to that theory, as it seems like a last-minute delay was responsible for any disappointment you may be experiencing.

Second Mishaal Rahman on Twitter (aka X), the Android 14 source code was originally slated to be released today, with OEMs expecting its arrival alongside consumers. Instead, the entire launch (AOSP and Pixel builds alike) has reportedly been pushed back to October 4, adding nearly a full month to development time. If that date sounds familiar, that’s because that’s when Google is holding its next Made by Google event, presumably to launch the Pixel 8, Pixel Watch 2, and whatever else the company has in store.

Rahman says OEMs are being told any vulnerabilities detailed in the security release notes for Android 14 won’t be released until October 4, suggesting a stable build may not come until the day we learn all about the latest hardware. by Google. Also, as Rahman notes, it would mark the first time the AOSP build coincides with the Pixel launch, though it’s not the first time the two dates have flirted with each other.

The release of Android 14 in October would be similar to the release of Android 12 two years ago. On October 4, 2021, the company pushed Android 12 to AOSP, but the build for Pixel devices didn’t actually arrive until October 19, the day Google announced the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Considering the event of taking place at the beginning of the month this year, we could see a simultaneous push on AOSP and Pixel alongside the company’s new collection of smartphones. After all, both the AOSP and Pixel builds arrived for Android 11 and Android 13 almost simultaneously, with consumers receiving OTA updates within about a day.

This year’s Made by Google event could double the rollout of Android 14.

If this delay is true, expect it to affect when current OEMs update their lineup of smartphones to the latest version of Android. Samsung rolled out its second beta of One UI 6 last week, but it’s probably still over a month away from rolling out a stable build. OnePlus, on the other hand, has announced that it will deliver OxygenOS 14 on September 25, more than a week before this supposed date. If Google isn’t ready to port Android 14 to AOSP, expect that date to be pushed back.

Since moving to custom Tensor chipsets, Google has had its fair share of mistakes in terms of timely updates. The Pixel 6 was notorious in its first year for consistently missing security patches, even when those monthly releases contained high-priority bug fixes. Even the Pixel 7 series hasn’t quite solved this problem; the March update of this year, for example, didn’t go live until nearly mid-month.

Of course, this particular delay isn’t all that public; After all, Rahman’s date isn’t an official confirmation. For his part, Google hasn’t announced anything, and considering that the last word on the Android 14 launch date was a generic “weeks away” comment when Beta 5 arrived, it is technically not late. Even though, you know, it just seems like it is.