Rumors circulating earlier this month suggested that Google would launch Android 16 sooner than expected. Today, Google has confirmed this, clarifying its plans for the upcoming OS release.
The finalized Android 16 is scheduled to roll out in the second quarter of 2024, placing the release window between April and June. Google says this change is intended “to better align with the schedule of device launches” across the Android platform.
In 2023, Google’s Pixel 9 series hit the market in August running Android 14, even as work on Android 15 was ongoing. The latter eventually debuted a few weeks ago. If Google successfully releases Android 16 by the end of June next year, the Pixel 10 series will likely arrive with the new OS pre-installed. Other devices, like Samsung’s upcoming foldables—expected to be unveiled in July—could also launch with Android 16 from day one.
Notably, Google also mentioned a secondary Android release planned for late 2025, which will fall between October and December. This will be a “minor release” designed to incorporate feature updates, performance improvements, and bug fixes accumulated since the major release. It seems likely that this will be an Android 16.1 update, expected to arrive toward the end of next year.
