Android 16 release date just tipped — and it’s shockingly early

2 weeks ago 5

It hasn’t been a month since Android 15 started rolling out to Pixel phones, but we may already know when its successor is scheduled to arrive. According to sources speaking to Android Headlines, Android 16 may be set to launch significantly earlier next year. June 3 to be precise.

It’s almost unbelievable to hear that Android 16 could arrive quite so early, since it usually arrives at the end of summer — or mid-fall, as the case has been in some recent years. But there has already been word from Google that Android 16 could launch in the second quarter of 2025, and an early June release fits that quite nicely.

Android 15’s launch has been a little bit messy. The first beta version launched in April, as expected, but the final version of the software didn’t arrive until mid-October. This is despite the fact the software was finalized in September, and the Pixel 9 series launched the month before. Traditionally the newest Pixels arrive running the new version of Android, but this year’s models instead ran on Android 14 out of the box.

To go from that to a June release sounds a little far fetched. Especially since the Android beta tends to run for several months before rolling out to Pixel phones. However this could also mean Google has plenty of room to ensure a smooth Pixel 10 launch running Android 16 — rather than having a repeat of the Pixel 9.

Such an early release may also explain why we’ve already started hearing what kind of upgrades Android 16 might have to offer. That includes upgrades to multitasking, a new type of notification that seems to mimic iPhone 16’s Dynamic Island, even stronger security and changes to the quick settings menu to make them actually quick — something that may include a faster way to turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. No doubt we’ll be hearing even more in the coming months, both as rumors or leaks and official announcements from Google itself.

I’m still a little skeptical that Google can actually hit a Q2 launch for Android 16, even if it is late Q2. Android 15 arrived so late that it almost feels like Google’s production schedule is already at a disadvantage — and it makes me wonder just how big an update Android 16 will be.

Still, I’ll be happy to not have a repeat of Android 15’s rollout, especially if it means more consistency with the rollout of new Android versions going forward. Because right now it feels as though the releases are more disjointed than ever.

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