Google planning to release Android 16 earlier, plus an Additional Android Update in 2025

It was already rumored that the Android 16 release would be earlier next year, than it was this year. And now Google has essentially confirmed just that. In a blog post, Google announced that there would be more frequent SDK releases, having two planned releases in 2025. There will be a major release in Q2 (that’s likely Android 16), and then a minor one in Q4 that would include new APIs but wouldn’t change any app behaviors. This is going to deliver new features and APIs more frequently with higher stability and polish for users and developers.

The first developer preview for Android 16 is going to be releasing very soon. Not that it’s a surprise, since the final version of Android is launching nearly three months early this next year, and will be out before the end of June.

Google also announced today that there are going to be Gemini features coming to Android Studio, to help you code more efficiently. There’s new custom AI Transforms that will allow developers to leverage Gemini to directly modify and refactor code. Google has also simplified testing with Gemini, with a new feature called Journeys. Developers can define end-to-end tasks using natural language descriptions, making it easier for developers with various skill levels to test and debug.

Google Play is adding a new content format

Lastly, in todays updates from Google is a new change to Google Play. There’s now a new format for portrait videos allowed in the Play Store, that will show users a full-screen experience for app listings, increasing engagement with developers listings.

Google is also adding Interest Picker for apps, where users can now share their preferences to get recommendations tailored to their interests for their apps. There’s also now Cart Abandonment Reminders, where users will get gentle reminders about abandoned shopping carts, and purchase flow recommendations using algorithms to suggest relevant in-app purchases.