I'm not sure anyone expected October to be such a busy month for Android news. In addition to several court rulings that could have massive implications for the future of Google's mobile OS, we saw Android 16 features leak, early glimpses of Samsung's upcoming One UI 7 overhaul, and, of course, the complete, stable release of Android 15. But the biggest news might've dropped on Halloween, when Google quietly confirmed a major shakeup to how and when it drops major OS upgrades.
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In case you missed the news, next year, Google will release two SDK versions: one in Q2 of 2025, and another, smaller upgrade in the usual Q4 slot. While you have to read between the lines a little to understand the ramifications of this announcement, it means the full launch of Android 16 is coming before next summer, while a second build -- potentially Android 16.1 -- will arrive in the fall. Say goodbye to waiting through an interminable beta period, because you'll have a new version on your Pixel 9 before the Pixel 10 even hits store shelves.
Related Review: My favorite Android 15 features are far from flashy
A minor update with welcome quality-of-life tweaks
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A few years ago, this would've been Earth-shattering news among Android die-hards, but this week, it felt like any other news story, and I think that's the result of a major change in how the Android community thinks about OS updates. Since Android 12 and the rollout of Material You, we've seen three major annual upgrades arrive with little for general consumers -- or frankly, even enthusiasts -- to get truly excited about. While we've seen plenty of welcome changes and improvements, for better or worse, Android has hit a state of maturity. Only so much can change from here on out.
Of course, all of this is compounded by a decade of Google rethinking how and when software updates reach its users. Unlike Apple, which still keeps app redesigns and additional features locked to a September release every year, Google delivers the vast majority of its changes through Play Store updates, or through Play Services and server-side updates. If Google decides to tweak the visual design of its calculator or contacts apps, you aren't stuck waiting for a single patch months away -- that upgrade will arrive on your phone whenever it's ready for primetime.
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It's not just the way Android is updated that makes full OS upgrades feel a little more boring than they used to, though -- it's also a consequence of Google moving away from "stock" builds of Android. With the Pixel series running more customized software than ever, practically every major and minor OEM alike customizes their respective OS experience. There is no stock Android device you're likely to run into anymore; you're choosing between custom improvements from Samsung, OnePlus, Asus, Motorola, and, yes, even Google.
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On one hand, that might make the promise of Android 16's early arrival feel disappointing. On the other, though, it means our smartphone experiences are constantly changing and improving, without the need to wait for major improvements to roll out on a once-a-year timeframe. That makes Android all the more exciting, in my eyes -- just spread out a little more evenly over 12 full months. And hey, that's not to say Android doesn't feel exciting whenever a new version number drops. Even the more minor leaps forward (like last month's release, for example) can contain plenty of little quality-of-life improvements.
But as always, I'm curious what AP readers think. Are you still excited about annual Android updates as they currently exist? Maybe you look forward to whatever the OEM of your liking does with Google's new builds, or maybe you're simply excited for Pixel-exclusive features over all else. Or, maybe, those night-before-Christmas levels of anticipation have left you behind, with just a modern, mature operating system in its place. Let us know in the poll -- and the comments -- below.
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