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Have you noticed how some devices get Android version updates sooner than others? If you’re not a fan of seeing other people get the patch before you, don’t fret. Google has confirmed when Android 16 will come out, and by the sounds of it, most compatible devices will get the update around the same time.
Google Reveals When Android 16 Will Release
On the Android Developers Blog, Google revealed its upcoming plans for 2025. There’s a lot of good information here if you’re an Android developer, but if you’re not, this paragraph holds some intriguing information:
Next year, we’ll have a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4, both of which will include new developer APIs. The Q2 major release will be the only release in 2025 to include behavior changes that can affect apps. We’re planning the major release for Q2 rather than Q3 to better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.
The main focus here is the “major release”—that’s Android 16. Not only does this confirm that Android 16 will be released in Q2 (that’s sometime in April, May, or June), but it seems that people won’t have to wait as long to receive it on their phones.
If you’re interested in getting Android 16, there’s a chance you won’t need to purchase a new phone for it. If you’ve already grabbed one of the best Android phones of this year, there’s a high chance that it’s compatible with Android 16 and you should receive a firmware update from your device’s manufacturer.