Android 16 is expected to arrive sooner: Google changes release rhythm
The new version of Android is expected to be released earlier than planned. In future, there will be two SDK releases per year.
(Image: Arthur_Shevtsov/Shutterstock.com)
Android 16 is likely to be released earlier than planned: Google has announced that there will be two new software development kits (SDKs) for the operating system per year in future – one in the second quarter and one in the fourth. The release in the second quarter will then bring the new Android version with the new functions. Android 16 should therefore be released by June 2025.
To be more precise, there will be a "major release" in the second quarter and a "minor release" in the fourth quarter, Google writes in a blog post. The "major release" – is relevant for developers as it is the counterpart to the previous SDK releases in the third quarter, with a new API and possible changes in app behavior. Developers must therefore bring forward their annual compatibility tests by a few months, writes Google.
Second release without a new API
The minor release will add some new functions and bug fixes, but the number of APIs will not increase.
Until now, Google has always relied on a single SDK release per year, often in October. The reason given by Google for the change in frequency is the adjustment to the release rhythm of hardware devices and the aim of bringing the new Android versions to many devices more quickly.
Google Pixel 9 came with old Android
The background to this could also be the unfavorable timing of the Google Pixel 9, which was released in August: The phones were not the first models to come onto the market with the new Android version. Apparently, Android 15 was not yet ready, which is why the Pixel 9s were delivered with Android 14 – In previous years, the Pixel smartphones were always launched with the latest Android version.
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