Google releases a brand new model of Android every year, and since 2013 the releases have all come between August and November. That, nevertheless, may be set to alter with Android 16.
Whereas Android 15 is simply anticipated to start out rolling out to supported Pixels on October 15, Google appears to already be excited about releasing Android 16 a lot before normal – in some unspecified time in the future within the second quarter of subsequent 12 months in actual fact, so between April and June.
That might be a reasonably important shift in technique, however then once more Google has this 12 months equally switched its {hardware} announcement from the same old October to August, thus creating the bizarre state of affairs the place the new Pixels launched with Android 14 on board since Android 15 wasn’t prepared.
If Android 16 arrives by the top of June subsequent 12 months, and Google sticks with August for its subsequent {hardware} reveal, then the Pixel 10 collection could have no downside working Android 16 out of the field.
The information concerning Android 16’s launch in Q2 comes from a deep dive in Google’s Compatibility Definition Doc for Android 15 for builders, in addition to a number of patches to the Android Open Supply Undertaking, which all reference massive adjustments being pushed to “25Q2” or “25Q2/Android W”. W is the letter of the alphabet that is after V, and Android 15 was codenamed Vanilla Ice Cream, so clearly W is Android 16 (that mentioned, Google has apparently determined to skip just a few letters and codename it baklava lately).
After all these are simply hints, and nothing is ready in stone simply but. Even when it was, issues might nonetheless change – each Android 15 and Android 14 noticed delayed releases because of last-minute points, so which will occur to Android 16 as nicely. However with a launch in Q2, it might a minimum of one-up Apple’s yearly iOS outing, for what that is price.