Joe Maring / Android Authority
As an Android fan, there’s nothing quite like a major Android OS upgrade. Even as more recent Android versions have seen tamer year-over-year updates compared to a decade ago, there’s still something exciting about getting a fresh piece of software on your phone or tablet.
For the last several years, the cadence of Android updates has been consistent: Google announces a Developer Preview sometime in February or March, a public beta follows in the spring, and the public build launches in late summer or early fall — and then it starts all over again with the next version.
We’ve been able to safely rely on this release cycle for a while now, but Google’s drastically different approach to Android 16 made it clear that things were changing. Now, paired with recent reports that Samsung is shaking up its One UI release schedule, one thing is clear. The era of Android updates as we know it is changing, for better or worse.
What do you think about the new Android update cycle? 93 votes I like it and think it'll work out for the better. 48 % I don't care either way. 35 % It's bad. I'm going to miss big yearly updates. 15 % Other (let us know in the comments). 1 %
Android updates mean something different now
Joe Maring / Android Authority
This all started in late 2024. Just two months after Android 15’s public release on September 3, Google announced on November 14 that its first Developer Preview for Android 16 was already available.
This marked the beginning of Google’s big push to dramatically change how it releases Android updates. By starting the development process months earlier than usual, Google could ensure the public release would be ready in time for its new Pixel hardware in late summer. Additionally, it also means phones released earlier in the year don’t have to wait as long for the next big Android update (at least, theoretically).
Fast forward to July 2025, and Google’s strategy worked. Android 16 officially launched on June 10, putting it months ahead of the October release window we’d previously seen for Android 15 and Android 14. But despite being a full version number update, Android 16 doesn’t feel like one.
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