Google has shaken up its mobile OS schedule and now expects an Android 16 release date in spring 2025 — months earlier than usual.
The company now plans a “major” Android version release in the second quarter of next year, followed by a smaller one in the fourth quarter. Google says this will “better align” with the device launch roadmap across the ecosystem, making sure more devices get the new software sooner.
The minor update will “pick up” new features, fixes, and developer tools, but won’t make any behavior changes that could break third-party apps like Android 16 might.
Google isn’t narrowing down the Android 16 release date at this stage, but does expect to share details of the first developer preview relatively soon.
The strategy is part of an overall effort to release developer kits more frequently and ideally prompt “faster innovation” in both apps and hardware. At the same time, Google also hopes for better “stability and polish.”
Not much is known about Android 16 features so far. It could include substantial improvements like ongoing notifications (similar to the iPhone’s Live Activities), lock screen widgets, and desktop-style windowing on tablets. This suggests the short development schedule won’t necessarily affect the feature set.
Many of Google’s Android partners, including Samsung, tend to launch their flagship phones near the start of the year. That doesn’t preclude delivering updates later on, but the accelerated software release date suggests some of those phones will ship with Android 16 out of the box.
Major OS developers have been shying away from monolithic, consistently-timed upgrades for years. Microsoft pushes out significant Windows feature updates roughly twice a year. And while Apple still revolves around major overhauls in the early fall, it’s now more willing to stagger feature rollouts with point releases that can take months.
In that light, Google is simply adapting to the market — it’s shipping software on a more frequent basis and catering more to what vendors and customers want.