Android 16 release date will be much earlier than usual
Android 16 release date will be much earlier than usual
Google plans to release Android 16 in the first half of 2025, breaking years of tradition
📅 Google has adjusted its release schedule for Android 16
🤖 Instead of releasing it in the fall, Android 16 will come out in summer 2025
📱 That means more phones and tablets will come with the new version of Android next year
🗓️ Google will also release a minor update to Android 16 later next year
A new launch schedule for Android 16 suggests that more devices will run the latest version of Android in 2025.
In a post to the company’s developer blog, Google has confirmed that Android 16 will be released in Q2 of 2025 instead of Q3, which means it’ll arrive before the end of June. According to the company, the change is to “better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.”
Google finally released Android 15 a couple of weeks ago and gave Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro buyers the software they were promised when they launched in August. It’s been the norm for new versions of Android to come out in the fall, but that means any device that ships beforehand will need to be updated later on, and that can take months to happen.
With the new schedule, we should see more devices launch with Android 16 next year. Over the last few months, we saw the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, and even the Pixel 9 launch with last year’s Android 14, all because Google had Android 15 on track to come out later in the fall. Samsung isn’t even supposed to roll out Android 15 to its devices until 2025.
By speeding up development, Google will make it easier for manufacturers to adopt the latest Android version and bring the newest features to customers quicker than ever. Let’s hope that means the Pixel 10 release date comes around and it’s actually running the newest version of Android, not its predecessor’s.
In its blog post, Google also says it will roll out a minor Android update in Q4 to introduce more features, bug fixes, and security patches. It’s not clear if this will be a version update like Android 16.1 or something similar, but expect a meaningful update to the software later next year nonetheless.
Max Buondonno is a writer at The Shortcut. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop.