Android 16 to Launch in Q2 This Year, Farewell to Fall Updates!

Android 16 to Launch in Q2 This Year, Farewell to Fall Updates!For the past decade or so, Google has consistently released major Android updates in the fall, following a lengthy process of developer and beta previews. However, this will change at least in 2025

Android 16 to Launch in Q2 This Year, Farewell to Fall Updates!

For the past decade or so, Google has consistently released major Android updates in the fall, following a lengthy process of developer and beta previews. However, this will change at least in 2025. Google has announced that it will push the release of the next major version, Android 16, to the second quarter instead of the traditional third quarter. This confirms recent reports from AndroidAuthority, which suggested that Android 16, codenamed "Baklava," would continue the sweet-themed development codenames.

Google stated that the new release schedule will "better align with the launch timelines of devices within our ecosystem, enabling more devices to get the major version of Android faster."

This change addresses a long-standing issue plaguing the Android ecosystem. At least since 2016, third-party phone manufacturers have complained about having to wait for months to receive the latest updates. While Google Pixel phones always get the latest version first, what about others? The new schedule will allow more manufacturers to have the latest features on day one of their new device launches, without having to wait for future updates to add features like Circle to Search.

Under the new model, Google will tell developers that a major version will be released in the second quarter, followed by a minor SDK version in the fourth quarter, which is more akin to the current quarterly releases, adding new features without making major changes to the underlying system. This means compatibility testing will happen earlier, but another benefit is that apps will have an incentive to support new features like Live Activities-like lock screen real-time notifications, as more devices will be able to use them right away.

In addition to the new release schedule, Google has also announced improvements to the Play Store that allow users to share preferences for better app recommendations, similar to how they can already share game preferences. On the development side, Google will add more Gemini AI capabilities to AndroidStudio to "write, refactor, and document" code in apps.

This series of changes marks an adjustment in Google's development strategy for Android, aiming to accelerate the pace of updates, providing a faster experience for more users and a more stable development environment for developers.