Android 16 Beta Builds Said to Be On Schedule; Release Dates Surface Online

Android 16 Developer Preview 1 was released in November 2024.

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Written by Sucharita Ganguly, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 20 January 2025 13:13 IST
Highlights
  • Android 16 Beta 3 will likely roll out on March 12
  • The first Build version could be released on January 22
  • Pixel 6a and newer models will be eligible for Android 16 update
Android 16 Beta Builds Said to Be On Schedule; Release Dates Surface Online

Android 16 stable version will likely be released in Q2 2025

Photo Credit: Google

Google released the Android 16 Developer Preview 1 in November 2024. The second Developer Preview, allowing tests of new APIs and features, was introduced a month later in December. The first Beta build of the operating system is expected to arrive by the end of this month. A recent report has suggested the expected release dates of the first, second and third Beta builds. The stable version of Android 16 is expected to be unveiled sometime in the second quarter of 2025.

Android 16 Beta 1, 2, 3 Release Dates (Expected)

According to a report by Android Authority, Android 16 Beta 3 will likely roll out on March 12. The Android 16 release timeline confirmed by Google does not mention the exact release dates of the Beta builds. The aforementioned report claims that one of their contributors spotted a comment on Android Gerrit, a web-based code review platform, which suggested the expected release dates of the Beta versions.

The concerned comment reportedly mentioned two other dates, January 22 and February 19. These are expected to be the possible release dates of Android 16 Build 1 and Build 2, respectively. However, since these are not yet explicitly confirmed, readers are suggested to take these timelines with a pinch of salt. 

Google is expected to roll out additional Beta versions of the Android 16 update targeting Platform Stability before it releases the stable version in Q2 2025. Another version with new developer APIs is expected to be introduced in Q4 of this year. Google confirmed that Pixel 6a and newer models, including the Google Pixel 9 series, Pixel 9 Pro FoldPixel 8 series, Pixel 8aPixel FoldPixel 7aPixel 7 series, and Pixel 6 series, are eligible to receive the Android 16 update.

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The Android 16 Developer Preview 2 reportedly adds a feature called the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock. It is also claimed to make use of adaptive refresh rate easier for apps. New haptic APIs introduced with Android 16 DP2 are said to offer richer haptics.

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RAM 8GB
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KEY SPECS
Display 6.30-inch
Front Camera 10.5-megapixel
Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 48-megapixel
RAM 12GB
Storage 256GB
Battery Capacity 4700mAh
OS Android 14
Resolution 1080x2424 pixels
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KEY SPECS
Display 6.30-inch
Processor Google Tensor G2
Front Camera 10.8-megapixel
Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB
OS Android 13
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
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KEY SPECS
Display 6.10-inch
Processor Google Tensor G2
Front Camera 10.8-megapixel
Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB
Battery Capacity 4385mAh
OS Android 13
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
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KEY SPECS
Display 6.20-inch
Processor Google Tensor G3
Front Camera 11-megapixel
Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 4575mAh
OS Android 14
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
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