Android 16 set to launch in June, Google confirms

Google has big news for Android fans! The next version, Android 16, is coming sooner than usual, with a June release planned. Sameer Samat, Google’s Android Ecosystem President, shared this update with Android Police during MWC 2025. He said the team is working hard and is on schedule to meet this goal.

“So far, everything’s going well,” Samat explained. “The number of bugs isn’t perfect yet, but the team is pushing forward, and we’re excited to get it ready.” Normally, Google releases new Android versions in August or later, often alongside a new Pixel phone. This year, though, they’re switching things up and aiming for June. Android 16 is already in its second beta phase, showing steady progress.

Why the Early Launch?

It’s all about a new way of building Android called Trunk Stable. Samat said, “With Trunk Stable, everyone works on the same code at the same time. This lets us test and build the system more often. In the past, we worked on separate pieces and combined them later, which took extra time to fix issues.”

Before, Google would finish this combining step in June and then spend months sorting out problems. Now, they’re challenging themselves to speed things up and launch earlier.

More Updates, More Often

Google has been making Android updates more regularly lately. Samat noted that while these smaller updates matter, the big numbered releases, like Android 16, are still a top priority. “We want to show fans what’s new and exciting in this version,” he said. “People want features faster, so we’ve made Android flexible. Some updates can come quickly, while bigger changes need a full release.”

For example, smaller Android updates happen every few months, keeping phones fresh. But some major improvements can only come with a new version, like Android 16. The latest test version, Android 16 Beta 2.1, is already out for Pixel users. More details about the final version will likely come at Google I/O on May 20, 2025. If all goes as planned, Android 16 will roll out to everyone by the end of June—great news for anyone eager for a faster, smarter phone!