Google’s Android 16 in now formally in preview

It seems that Google is taking a full-steam forward strategy to Android software development in a manner we have by no means seen earlier than. Out of the blue, the search giant has simply dropped the primary Developer Preview construct for its upcoming Android 16 launch.

“Android can have extra frequent releases going ahead — with two SDK releases in 2025, as a part of our effort to drive sooner innovation in apps and gadgets,” says Google in a blog post.

Android 16 is right here in an official capability

This primary model of the software program replace is primarily meant for builders

The foremost factors of curiosity on this first Android 16 developer preview construct look like platform-related versus user-facing. A brand new embedded picture picker with up to date APIs, bolstered well being document APIs, and updates to Android’s under-the-hood Privacy Sandbox are highlighted by the corporate.

If previous Android Developer Previews are something to off of, we are able to definitely count on extra thrilling options and interface enhancements to land in future builds. This preliminary preview is usually right here for developers, to ensure that them to remain up-to-date and to leverage the newest platform applied sciences for his or her apps.

Based on Google, we are able to count on the finalized model of Android 16 to succeed in stability in Q2 of 2025. This could make for a launch that is a full quarter sooner than Google’s customary replace cadence that we have grown accustomed to lately.

“We’re planning the key launch 1 / 4 earlier (Q2 reasonably than Q3 in prior years) to raised align with the schedule of system launches throughout our ecosystem, so extra gadgets can get the key launch of Android sooner,” says Google.

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Android 15 continues to be being deployed by OEMs

Android growth is accelerating, however not all cellphone makers are maintaining the brisk tempo

Google

Android 15 continues to be sizzling off the presses, having solely simply landed on Google Pixel phones again in late October. Many handset producers — together with Samsung — have but to even roll out their Android 15 updates to eligible gadgets.

The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) model of Android 15 was actually finalized initially of September, however it’s taken fairly a while for the replace to land on gadgets within the real-world. Samsung is presently within the beta testing stage for its One UI 7 software program pores and skin overlay. We’re additionally nonetheless ready for equal updates from Motorola, Nothing, and others. OnePlus’ OxygenOS 15, in the meantime, landed on devices on October 24.

Google / Pocket-lint

Whereas it might sound counter-intuitive for Google to be urgent ahead with Android 16 this early, there is definitely a technique to the corporate’s insanity. The need to raised align main platform releases with {hardware} product launches is a reasonably sensible one. Android growth seems to be intensifying within the wake of Google’s (alleged) newfound laptop ambitions, and so streamlining efforts on the software program facet is prone to be a welcome one.

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