Since releasing Android 15 in September, the Android improvement staff has been laborious at work on the subsequent main launch, and right now it’s saying the primary developer preview for Android 16.
In keeping with the staff, this launch marks the beginning of a sooner launch cycle for Android APIs. Beforehand, the main API launch would occur in Q3, however subsequent yr it would occur in Q2. This higher aligns with the system launch schedule and can enable extra gadgets to get the Android launch sooner, the staff defined.
As a result of API being launched earlier, the Android staff recommends builders do compatibility testing a couple of months earlier to make sure apps are prepared in time.Â
After the Q2 launch, there will likely be one other main API launch in This autumn that may embody developer APIs and have updates, optimizations, and bug fixes, however received’t embody new habits adjustments that will have an effect on apps.Â
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 staff defined.Â
When it comes to new options within the working system itself, new additions to Android on this developer preview embody:Â
- The flexibility to embed the photograph picker into an app’s view hierarchy, in order that customers can choose media with no need to offer an app with overly broad permissions
- Assist for well being information in Well being Join
- The newest model of the Privateness Sandbox on Android
The Android improvement staff additionally shared that it hopes to attain platform stability by March 2025 to offer app builders loads of time to check their apps earlier than the ultimate launch, sometimes in late summer time or early fall.
