Google is launching the first developer preview of Android 16 to accelerate feature deployment on devices.
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This shift represents a notable change in Android’s rollout timeline, as historically, Google introduced its first Android developer beta around Q2, with a stable version typically following post-July. Under the new schedule, Android 16’s stable release is set for Q2 2025.
With this adjustment, Google may aim to reduce fragmentation, where devices run on different versions of Android. This approach could also help manufacturers offer key Android features to users more quickly, especially in comparison to iOS.
However, ensuring a stable initial release of Android 16 is crucial, as developers need a reliable foundation to build upon without concerns about app compatibility breaking.
In addition to the major SDK release in Q2 2025, Google plans a minor SDK update in Q4 2025, featuring new APIs to support faster feature development for developers.
“We’re planning the major release a quarter earlier (Q2 rather than Q3 in prior years) to better align with device launch schedules across our ecosystem, enabling more devices to receive the Android major release sooner,” said Matthew McCullough, VP of Product Management for the Android Developer ecosystem, in a blog post.
Among the new features, Android 16’s first developer preview introduces an embedded photo picker, allowing apps to request access to selected photos from both local storage and the cloud. This builds on Android 13’s feature that enabled explicit photo access, enhancing app interactivity.
Google is also releasing a developer preview of Health Connect APIs, which support health record access and management in FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) format — a standard for exchanging health records between systems — with user consent.
Following the announcements of the Google Pixel 8 series in September 2023 and the Pixel 9 series in August 2024, it remains uncertain whether Google will continue with the current two-API release model for future versions and how it may affect the Pixel release cycle.
“We’re committing to this cycle for 2025, but we expect additional SDK releases in future years as well,” said a Google spokesperson.
Seang Chau, VP and GM of the Android Platform, mentioned in October that previous API release strategies and point releases posed challenges for developers and device manufacturers. With this new release cycle, Google aims to introduce major API changes earlier in the year while limiting additional APIs for the Q4 2025 release, reducing potential development issues.