The Android 15 launch is still fresh in all of our minds, and for most of us, our smartphones haven’t even gotten Android 15 yet (though many manufacturers have already started pushing Android 15 updates, such as Google, Vivo, OnePlus, Motorola, etc.).
However, we’ve already started hearing news about Android 16. First was that it would be coming out in the first half of the year, which is much earlier than it has been in the last several years. But now, we have an exact date and some interesting conclusions that can be made from it.
Android 16 Is Rumored For A June 3rd Launch, Both For AOSP And Pixel OTA Updates
If you’re a technology lover, it’s a good idea to love not just the hardware, but the software side of things too. As an Android user, you just have to love the platform and the way that it has evolved so drastically over the years. A few months ago, we saw Android 15, which might not have been a major visual overhaul of the OS, but brought in a lot of minor and major improvements to the Android experience.
Android 15 is still warm out of the compiler and we’ve already started hearing about Android 16. It is official that the operating system is going to be launched a lot earlier than this year’s was. In fact, Android 16 is coming in Q2, which is the first time it is coming in the first half of the year since 2012.
Now, according to Android Headlines, there’s a date that we can actually look at, and that’s June 3rd. Interestingly, that won’t just be the date that Android 16 heads to AOSP—and OEMs have the chance to start developing on top of it—but also the date that Android 16 OTA updates are available for Pixels. They surely didn’t share the same date this year.
This Could Mean Smartphones Released As Early As July Can Come With Android 16 Out Of The Box
Since Android 16 will be available via AOSP from very early June, smartphones expected for July and later months (including that dreaded October rush) will be able to launch with the new OS right away. That’s a major boost for manufacturers and consumers alike.
This is the exact reason why Google is making this change too. Too many smartphones launch in the second half of the year, too close to the Android launch for the year, and this new strategy gives them all the chance to adopt the new OS without panic.
Android 16 Could Be Relatively Old News By The Time Pixel 10 Launches
If you pay attention, you’ll notice that the rumored June 3rd date is also going to be for Pixel OTA updates for Android 16. We also know that we shouldn’t expect the Pixel 10 series to launch that early.
What that means is that the very first in line for Android 16 will certainly be the Google Pixel 9 family, and potentially older Pixel lineups if Google wants a simultaneous release. That’ll make the new Android version less of a selling point for the next Pixel generation. Sure, Google can still put exclusive features (which will eventually trickle down) into the Pixel 10 devices, but the hardware might need more of a focus this time around.
