Android 15 is now available for Pixel phones, allowing Google phone owners to try out all the new features and upgrades. However, there is one security feature that is not in the stable version of Android 15.

Security is a major focus of the new Android 15 update, thanks to features such as theft detection and Private Space Partition. However, the new cellular security features announced at Google I/O in May are nowhere to be found, despite appearing in the developer preview build of Android 15.

They are all about mobile security, with the preview page claiming that “these settings help protect your calls, messages, and data from outdated or unencrypted networks that may expose your data to theft or surveillance.” They were.

There is an option to warn when connecting to an unencrypted network and a toggle to connect only to encrypted networks. Although the connection options are limited, they are a great boon to cell phone security.

Google also announced that there will be “identifier disclosure transparency” to warn at-risk users, such as journalists and dissidents, “when fake cellular base stations or surveillance tools may be using the device identifier to record location information.”

According to Android Police, these features are still available in the Android 15 source code. Unfortunately, they have been completely disabled, and Android detective Mishaal Rahman speculates that their inclusion in the Android 15 beta was a mistake.

Whether this hardware will be available for Google's Pixel 9 series is unknown, but it seems unlikely. The lack of hardware support from other Android phone manufacturers is one problem, but that hasn't stopped Google from adding other hardware-dependent features to its phones. Satellite connectivity is a good recent example of this, with the Pixel 9 now able to communicate via satellite in emergency and non-emergency situations.

Hopefully, the fact that these features are available as part of the Android 15 source code means that they could be included in future phones, even if they are not currently available. However, it is unclear how long it will take for the necessary hardware to arrive.