Since releasing Android 15 in September, the Android improvement group has been laborious at work on the subsequent main launch, and right now it’s saying the primary developer preview for Android 16.
Based on the group, this launch marks the beginning of a quicker launch cycle for Android APIs. Beforehand, the key API launch would occur in Q3, however subsequent yr it is going to occur in Q2. This higher aligns with the system launch schedule and can enable extra units to get the Android launch sooner, the group defined.
Because of the API being launched earlier, the Android group recommends builders do compatibility testing just a few months earlier to make sure apps are prepared in time.
After the Q2 launch, there can be one other main API launch in This autumn that may embody developer APIs and have updates, optimizations, and bug fixes, however gained’t embody new conduct modifications that will have an effect on apps.
Moreover, there’ll nonetheless be quarterly Android releases, and the Q1 and Q3 updates that come between the API releases will embody incremental updates, the Android group defined.
By way of new options within the working system itself, new additions to Android on this developer preview embody:
- The flexibility to embed the picture picker into an app’s view hierarchy, in order that customers can choose media while not having to offer an app with overly broad permissions
- Help for well being information in Well being Join
- The most recent model of the Privateness Sandbox on Android
The Android improvement group additionally shared that it hopes to attain platform stability by March 2025 to present app builders loads of time to check their apps earlier than the ultimate launch, usually in late summer season or early fall.
