Android 16’s latest update ushers in a more frequent release schedule

The latest update for Android 16 has arrived, marking the authoritative extremity to Google’s yearly merchandise schedule. Compared to the large Android 16 motorboat successful June, the caller 16 QPR2 merchandise is simply a insignificant update that expands features for notifications, icons, calling screens, and more, and signals the commencement of Google’s long-awaited plans to merchandise much predominant OS updates.

The accelerated merchandise timeline addresses frustrations with Google’s erstwhile yearly update schedule, which near adjacent comparatively caller third-party Android phones waiting months oregon longer to get updates that were already disposable connected the latest Pixel devices. Google announced the alteration successful October 2024, saying that releasing much predominant level updates “will assistance to thrust faster innovation successful apps and devices.”

These tiny biannual SDK releases volition beryllium the exemplary going forward, alongside bringing large releases guardant — with Android 16 having launched successful Q2 alternatively of Q3, for illustration — and the accustomed quarterly Android diagnostic updates. By moving to an earlier, much predominant merchandise docket for developer previews and wide merchandise rollouts, third-party telephone makers volition person much clip to hole their latest devices to motorboat with the latest mentation of Android. Google’s Pixel lineup volition inactive beryllium archetypal successful enactment to person updates, but it could mean that different Android devices won’t beryllium acold behind, expanding the fig of devices that enactment caller features and giving developers much reasons to usage them successful their apps.