Google releases a new version of Android every year, and since 2013 these versions have typically been released between August and November. However, this situation seems to change with Android 16.
While Android 15 is expected to reach supported Pixel devices on October 15, it is said that Google may release Android 16 much earlier than expected, in the second quarter of next year, that is, between April and June. This marks a significant change in Google’s strategy regarding Android versions. Likewise, it made a change to its hardware announcements this year, introducing Pixel phones in August instead of the traditional October launch. This created an interesting situation with the new Pixel models that came with Android 14, because Android 15 was not ready yet.
If Android 16 is released by the end of June and Google continues to announce new hardware in August, the Pixel 10 series may get the chance to come with Android 16 out of the box.
The news that Android 16 may be released in the second quarter emerged from detailed reviews in the Android 15 Compliance Definition Document published by Google for developers and through several patches made to the Android Open Source Project. These documents and patch notes mention major changes called “25Q2” or “25Q2/Android W”. Alphabetically, “W” corresponds to the letter after Vanilla Ice Cream, the codename of Android 15. This shows that Android 16 comes with the code name “W”. However, this time Google seems to have skipped a few letters and chosen the code name “baklava” for the new version.
Google can get ahead of Apple with Android 16
Of course, this information is only a hint and nothing is certain yet. Considering that the release dates of Android 15 and Android 14 were postponed due to last minute problems, there is a possibility that Android 16 will also be delayed. However, releasing this version in the second quarter could allow Google to one-up Apple’s annual iOS launches.
Google’s release of Android 16 earlier than expected could mean a significant change for Android users and developers. Developers will need to be prepared for this new release, as an early release date will require faster testing and adaptation of new features.
In particular, this may be part of Google’s effort to optimize the timing between hardware and software updates. If this strategy is successful, it could increase Google’s competitiveness in the Android ecosystem by reaching Android 16 users sooner. In addition, this accelerated launch process may allow Android device manufacturers to adapt to new versions faster. However, last minute setbacks and possible delays may cause this process to remain uncertain, as always.