The next major update is coming soon

Google is shaking things up a bit for the release of Android 16. While we typically see a new version of Android in the third quarter of the year, 2025 will mark the beginning of a new annual release target. The tech giant is moving the launch of the next major OS update up by a quarter, meaning the launch will now be planted firmly in Q2. As a result, Android 15’s cycle will be cut short by a few months.

When Google revealed that Android 16 would come sooner than expected, it surprised everyone. So, you may be wondering when the next major OS will debut. Here’s what we know about the Android 16 release date.

The stable release of Android 16 is still months away, so Android 15 still has some room to breathe. However, if you want to give Android 16 a try before anyone else, the OS has officially entered QRP1.

The availability of the Quarterly Platform Release 1 means that developers and early adopters on the beta program can now install a very early release of the OS. This leads up to the final release, which is now officially confirmed for June. You can check out the previously released timeline below to see where everything falls.

Although Google hasn’t shared the exact date for the stable launch outside of a launch month, a leak suggests Android 16 could be ready by June 3. This report claims that Google will be ready to roll out Android 16 on the date, simultaneously delivering the source to AOSP and releasing updates for Pixel devices. Keep in mind that this date could be pushed back if Google happens to run into a snag during development.

Notably, we first identified the possibility of an April to June release in October 2024 by spotting a line within AOSP‘s Compatibility Definition Document, which referred to the next version of Android as “25Q2.” This document outlines the minimum requirements for Android smartphones to be eligible for the latest version of the OS.

A comment on the Android Gerrit revealed that Android 16 Beta 3 will roll out on March 12. Of course, it’s a day late but it’s here.

Interestingly, the last version of Android that arrived earlier than August was Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in 2012. So yes, Android has previously arrived before August, but not within the last 12 years.

Milestones

• November 19, 2024 — Developer Preview 1
• December 18, 2024 — Developer Preview 2
• January 23, 2025 — Beta 1
• February 13, 2025 — Beta 2
• March 13, 2025 — Beta 3 (Platform Stability)
• April 17, 2025 — Beta 4
• May 13, 2025 — Beta 4.1
• May 20, 2025 — QRP1 release
• June 2025 — Stable release

There are several practical reasons for Google accelerating Android 16’s launch.

For one, it allows the company to better sync the OS’s launch with its own smartphone hardware launch. Thanks to its earlier debut, the Pixel 9 launched with Android 14 and only received Android 15 a few months after its release. This made it a less attractive prospect than previous releases. However, there’s now a good chance the Pixel 10 series will land with Android 16.

This isn’t just a pro for Google, either. A June 2025 arrival brings the new version of Android closer to OEMs that launch their devices earlier in the year.

As outlined by Google’s 2025 development timeline above, the company has a more defined quarterly release cycle in the pipeline, with a major release (Android 16 release window) in Q2, bookended by feature releases in Q1 and Q3. A minor SDK release, with APIs and features that’ll inform the following version of Android, arrives in Q4. This should quicken the OS’s development cycle while providing the same predictability for OEMs.

As for the stable version of the OS, and with Google separating its Pixel smartphone launch from its Android version launch this year, it’s no longer a sure thing that its phones will receive the latest version of Android first. While Google did announce Android 15’s availability for the Pixel series, some vivo devices received the update a full month prior. This is thanks to AOSP dropping a month earlier, allowing companies to craft their iterations early.

However, considering that Android 16 is now arriving a quarter earlier in June, we expect the Pixel 10 to debut with the new OS. This allows more manufacturers to launch with or offer the Android 16 update sooner than ever before.