Google has changed the Android release schedule it has implemented in recent years and announced that it will release Android 16, codenamed “Baklava”, in the second quarter of 2025 (April-June). In Google’s normal update schedule, Android versions were released in the third quarter of the year.Why was such a change made?
In its announcement, the company announced that this change was made to be compatible with the launch date of devices in the Google ecosystem, so that more devices can get the Android version early. Last year, Pixel 9 was introduced in August, but since Android 15 was not ready, it came out of the box with Android 14. With the new launch schedule, Pixel 10 will be able to come out of the box with Android 16.
Additionally, Android flagship models that are typically announced in October and November will have more time to integrate the new version into their phones. Google also aims to gain an advantage by pushing the launch before the iOS release date.In the new setup, Google will offer developers a major release in the second quarter and a minor SDK release adding minor features in the fourth quarter. This will require pushing forward compatibility testing, but the added benefit is that apps will have more reason to support these new features as more devices will be able to use them immediately.
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