Google's early android 16 release aims to synchronize updates
Google is adjusting its Android update schedule to better align with smartphone manufacturers.
It's been less than three weeks since Android 15 became available to Pixel phone users. Major brands like Samsung and Xiaomi haven't yet updated their devices, and Google is already planning for Android 16.
Android 16 with an exceptionally early release
Google has officially announced that Android 16 will be released in the second quarter of 2025. The update is expected to reach its first users between early April and late June.
This is an unusually early date because, for years, Google has targeted late summer or early fall for releases. With Android 15, the company released the source code on September 3, and Pixel phones were updated by October 15.
Why the hurry? "We are planning the main release in the second quarter, not the third quarter, to better align the schedule with device launches in our ecosystem, enabling faster availability of the main Android release on more devices," Google explains on its site.
It makes sense since summer and fall are particularly busy periods for new smartphone launches. Every year, the market sees dozens of new models launched just before the new version of Android debuts, which delays software distribution. The second quarter does seem like a more optimal time.
Android 16 - public testing will start "soon"
Google announced that a preview version of Android 16 will be released "soon," allowing developers to fine-tune their applications, manufacturers to start working on updates, and users to get a sneak peek at system changes.
However, moving the schedule means that Google is giving itself less time for testing. From the debut of the preview version of Android 15 to the Pixel update, 242 days passed. Meanwhile, there are only 240 days until the end of the second quarter of 2025, so Google would have even less time if the Android 16 preview version were released today. And it hasn't been released yet.
At the same time, Google argues that the goal of the changes is "to enable faster innovation and a higher level of quality and refinement of releases, without increasing the burden or costs for developers."
