Huge Android 15 upgrade with 12 new features coming to Samsung phones soon – check full list to see if you’re eligible
DOZENS of Samsung Galaxy device owners are to receive Android 15, Google’s big annual update, this autumn.
The software update includes 12 brand new features, as well as improvements to existing processes.
Camera boost
Of the total 12 new features, there are two camera and photography updates coming, including:
Low Light Boost – A new auto-exposure mode on Camera 2 and the night mode camera extension.
In-app Camera Controls – New extensions for more control over camera hardware, such as flash strength and intensity, while capturing photos.
Satellite Support
Google is also ushering in a big connectivity boost with Satellite Support, after Apple announced Messages via Satellite in June.
Some RCS and SMS apps should be able to send text messages via satellite, whereas it was previously limited to emergency use.
Smoother Tap to Pay
According to Google, Android 15 will make tapping to pay “more seamless and reliable”.
The tech giant has remained tight-lipped on what this will entail exactly.
Google Wallet now requires users to unlock their phone for every contactless payment, regardless of the amount – which some users have found frustrating, as it can slow down travel fare payments.
However, experts at Android Authority hope Android 15 might bring back secure one-tap transactions with new features for secure pre-emptive authentication.
Privacy & Security
Android 15 also includes six new privacy and security features, such as:
Malicious app blocking – Which stops scammers from using an overlay on an app icon to disguise it as another, more legitimate, application.
Private space – Which lets users create a separate space on their device where they can keep sensitive apps under a passcode, or bio-authentication like Face ID.
Partial screen record & sharing – Means you don’t have to show the contents of your entire screen while screen recording or sharing.
Theft Detection Lock – If the device detects that someone has stolen it and tries to run, bike, or drive away, your phone senses that motion and should immediately lock the screen.
The feature will also automatically lock the device if it detects suspicious activity, like constant attempts to disconnect your phone or various failed log-in attempts.
AI in Play Protect – Artificial intelligence (AI) is being deployed in Google’s Play Protect antivirus feature to scan and flag suspicious behaviour.
Hidden notifications – Messages containing one-time passwords (OTPs), which are used in two-factor authentication, will be hidden from the notifications system, making it harder to intercept them.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth quick settings – Will see Bluetooth get its own quick settings tile, so you don’t need to dive into settings.
Automatic Bluetooth – Google will reportedly bring in a feature that automatically turns on Bluetooth a day after it was switched off.
According to Wired, the feature is likely to help with Android’s Find My Device network, which uses Bluetooth to track devices.
Is my Samsung eligible?
Based on how many years each device is promised software updates, according to Sammobile, these are the Samsung devices that will be eligible for the Android 15 update:
Galaxy S series
- Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Galaxy S24+
- Galaxy S24
- Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Galaxy S23+
- Galaxy S23
- Galaxy S23 FE
- Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S22+
- Galaxy S22
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Galaxy S21+
- Galaxy S21
Galaxy Z series
- Galaxy Z Fold 6
- Galaxy Z Fold 5
- Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Galaxy Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Galaxy Z Flip 3
Galaxy A series
- Galaxy A73
- Galaxy A55
- Galaxy A54
- Galaxy A53
- Galaxy A35
- Galaxy A34
- Galaxy A33
- Galaxy A25
- Galaxy A24
- Galaxy A23
- Galaxy A15 (LTE+5G)
- Galaxy A14 (LTE+5G)
Galaxy Tab series
- Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
- Galaxy Tab S9 FE
- Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S8+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S8 (Wi-Fi/5G)
Galaxy F series
- Galaxy F55
- Galaxy F54
- Galaxy F34
- Galaxy F15
Galaxy M series
- Galaxy M55
- Galaxy M54
- Galaxy M34
- Galaxy M53
- Galaxy M33
- Galaxy M15
Samsung – a brief history
Here's what you need to know...
- Samsung is a major South Korean company made up of many businesses that operate globally
- It’s known locally as a “chaebol”, which means “business conglomerate”
- It was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company
- But over several decades, it branched out into food processing, insurance, textiles and retail
- It wasn’t until the late 1960s when Samsung entered the electronics industry – for which it’s best known in the West today
- It also launched businesses in construction and shipbuilding in the 1970s
- Today, Samsung’s most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips
- The firm accounts for around a fifth of South Korea’s total exports, and roughly 17% of the country’s GDP
- More than 270,000 staff are employed by Samsung globally
- And in 2023, Samsung Electronics turned over the equivalent of $194 billion in revenue