Google will roll out a major Android 16 update, followed by a minor release that will not include new behaviour changes for apps.
Android 16 is expected to arrive in the form of a major SDK release followed by a minor update
Photo Credit: Google
Android 16 will be released in the first half of 2025, according to details shared by Google. Unlike the latest version of the company's operating system that was rolled out to Pixel phones in October, Google will launch its next major Android version earlier next year, followed by a minor release by the end of the year. As a result, the company will have more frequent Android software development kit (SDK) releases, as part of ongoing efforts to brings new features to users, while improving app stability.
In a post on the Android Developers Blog, the company says that it will have a major release in Q2 2025 (instead of the typical Q3 launch window), followed by a minor release in the fourth quarter. Google says the decision was made to "better align with the schedule of device launches" that would enable Android 16 to be rolled out to eligible devices at a faster rate.
Android 16 will be released in Q2 2025
Photo Credit: Google Developers Blog
The major SDK release in Q2 2025 will include behaviour changes (that affect how apps function on Android) as well as APIs and features, according to Google. This is when Android 16 is expected to be released as the company only introduces a major SDK release with a new version of Android.
After Android 16 is rolled out, Google will roll out incremental updates in Q3 2025, followed by a second, minor Android 16 SDK release in Q4 2025. Google says that this release will include new APIs and features, but it will not introduce new behaviour changes that have an impact on apps.
Developers and enthusiasts might be able to test out Android 16 soon, as the company has teased the arrival of the first developer preview. This is not surprising, as there are about five months before the company is expected to launch Android 16.
Earlier this year, Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series that arrived with the one-year-old Android 14 out-of-the-box. The company's smartphones received the update to Android 15 two months later, on October 15. The earlier Android 16 release timeline should ensure that the Pixel 10 series will be running the latest version of Google's operating system in 2025.
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