This little-known brand just beat out Google and Samsung by releasing Android 15 first

• Vivo was the first to roll out Android 15 on its flagship devices with the Funtouch OS 15 update.

• Android 15 hasn’t officially launched on Pixel devices yet.

• Funtouch OS 15 offers features such as AI-powered eraser, shadow removal, and live transcription tools.

The premiere of Android 15 was a bit unusual this year. We received the first development version in February, and the beta version appeared in April. Even the stable version has been uploaded to AOSP. What’s more? We even have a second beta of Android 15 QPR1 (mid-cycle update), but it’s September 2024 and Android 15 still hasn’t hit any Google Pixel devices – including the newly launched Pixel 9 series.

The same goes for Samsung, which, like Google, is usually the first to release the latest Android updates. Surprisingly, Vivo managed to beat both Google and Samsung by rolling out Android 15 on their flagship devices first.

According to reports on X/Twitter (via Ishan Agarwal and Alvin), Vivo is already releasing a stable version of Funtouch OS 15, based on Android 15, for its flagship devices. According to reports, the update will be rolled out to the Vivo X100 series, Vivo update.

Vivo beats Samsung and Google in rolling out Android 15 for its flagship devices

Funtouch OS 15 is a custom Vivo skin based on Android 15 that offers its own features in addition to what Google has built in in the latest Android update. Apart from the standard features of Android 15, Vivo is bringing several AI-powered features to its flagship devices, such as the AI ​​eraser in Gallery (which we assume will work similarly to Magic Editor in Google Photos) and a shadow remover. The update also includes a live transcription tool.

Meanwhile, Android 15 introduces new features such as Private Space for managing private applications (something that Vivo devices already offer), partial screen sharing and native support for satellite connectivity. Still, it’s surprising that Vivo beat out Google and Samsung. With Google’s rollout expected to begin in mid-October, this will be the first Android update on non-Google smartphones before it hits the Pixel lineup.