Android 16 Beta nonetheless on schedule as some dates emerge

The Android 16 Beta for Pixel gadgets is scheduled to begin in January and a few key dates have emerged. In comparison with earlier years, Android 16 is ready to reach in Q2 of 2025 (as a substitute of Q3), with Google shifting up the first Developer Preview from February to November.

Earlier this week, a Google worker commented within the Android Gerrit (by way of Android Authority) about some upcoming improvement dates. The dialogue is in relation to an upcoming “bugfix”/“function” and the way it ought to be examined.

Ideally sure, this ought to be a normal function flag and go over the identical soak time. Nonetheless, we could wish to have this flag enabled asap in a Beta to get early validations. Beta 2 goes to be difficult contemplating that adjustments are due for Jan 22 which gained’t give us sufficient time to do QA on it besides if we make it a part of this week prebuilt. Beta 3 adjustments due are Feb 19, however Beta 3 will solely be launched on March 12, virtually on the identical time of our bug repair cutoff. If these adjustments are totally prepared / validated on our aspect and might be merged in the present day, we are able to strive together with in Beta 2 (and on this case we should always preserve it underneath a bugfix flag). If we’d like extra time, then Beta 3 is the one possibility and I’d advocate switching to a normal flag.

One takeaway from this days-old alternate is that the primary three Android 16 Beta Releases stay on observe with the month-to-month schedule Google set in November:

• Beta 1: Preliminary beta-quality launch, over-the-air replace to early adopters who enroll in Android Beta.
• Beta 2: Incremental Beta-quality launch
• Beta 3: First Platform Stability milestone together with last APIs and behaviors. Play publishing additionally opens.
• “Beta 4, …”: Close to-final builds for last testing. [Beta 4 is coming in April, with Google possibly releasing more builds before the final release.]

In the meantime, the remark mentions Wednesday, January 22 as when “adjustments are due” for Android 16 Beta 2. Equally, Wednesday, February 19 is when “Beta 3 adjustments [are] due.” Understand that these aren’t the rollout dates for the general public, however quite simply inner Google deadlines. We have no idea the connection between these two occasions. 

Android releases are locked down and finalized weeks forward of their launch. For instance, the construct quantity for 16 DP1 and DP2 are roughly 4 weeks earlier than the discharge date. 

The January 22 date doesn’t essentially imply that’s after we’ll see Android Android 16 Beta 1 roll out. That mentioned, the month could be very a lot winding down and this upcoming Wednesday-Thursday or the following would line up with historic availability.

This Googler says that “Beta 3 will solely be launched on March 12.” That’s the solely specific date — one other Wednesday — we’ve for when an upcoming beta of Android 16 will probably be launched, however issues may shift between at times. As such, it’s greatest regarded as a goal date.