Have you noticed that some devices receive Android version updates before others? If you don’t like other people receiving the new operating system before you, you should make yourself look at that envy, but, on the other hand, don’t worry since in the case of Android 16 it seems that there will be many compatible models and, better Still, they are going to be updated sooner than ever.
Just a few hours ago, Google confirmed when will Android 16 come out and from the looks of it, most supported devices will receive the update around the same time. On the Android Developer Blog, Google revealed its upcoming plans for 2025 and the news comes in the form that in the coming financial year, there will be a major launch in the second quarter and a minor launch in the fourth quarter.
Next year, we will have a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4, both of which will include new APIs for developers. The Q2 major release will be the only release in 2025 that will include behavioral changes that may impact apps. We are planning the major release for the second quarter instead of the third to better align with the device release schedule in our ecosystem, so that more devices can get the major Android release sooner.
Obviously, that important launch that will take place in the second quarter of the year What is coming refers to the new version of Google’s operating system, that is, Android 16. This not only confirms that the software will arrive sometime in April, May or June, but it seems that people will not have to wait that long to receive it on your phones. We can’t put our hand on it, but it seems that all the models that can currently be updated to Android 15 are very likely to be compatible with Android 16 and that you receive a firmware update from your device manufacturer.
And meanwhile, waiting for Android 15
Yes, Android 6 is already on the horizon, but although it is already beginning to focus much of our attention, the reality is that Android 15 is not yet present in even 5% of current devices.
Here we enter into the usual problem, a fragmentation that means that each manufacturer takes more or less time to release the software for their mobile phones, taking into account that not all of them are compatible, since manufacturers must ensure that the hardware and software support the update without problems. This requires adjustments and optimizations that can be prolonged. Consider that each manufacturer adapts Android 15 to its own interface, such as Samsung’s One UI or Xiaomi’s HyperOS, a process that can take weeks or months depending on customization.
And that’s not to mention that before launching the large-scale update, exhaustive tests are carried out to ensure the stability and good performance of the system, all with the aim of avoiding user problems. Finally, updates are distributed gradually to prevent server overloads and detect possible problems before affecting all users.
For this reason, although Android 16 will be released before summeryou may not receive it until the second half of 2025.
