For the past decade, Google has released major Android updates in the fall after an extended beta and developer preview process, but for 2025, that's changing. Now, Google is planning its major release, which we expect to be Android 16, for Q2 instead of Q3, confirming a recent report from Android Authority.
Sure, Google Pixel phones have been the first to receive the latest releases, but what about the others? A new timeline could make it easier for more manufacturers to release new devices with the latest capabilities available on day one rather than waiting for future updates to add things like Circle to Search.
In the new pattern, Google tells developers that there will be a major release in Q2, along with a minor SDK release in Q4 that is more like the current quarterly releases that add new features without changing systems as much. underlying. It will mean moving forward with compatibility testing, but the other benefit is that apps might have reasons to support new features (continuous notifications similar to the iPhone's Live Activities, for example) because more devices will be able to use them right away.
