According to Android Authority, the Android 16 Beta for Pixel devices is scheduled to commence in January 2025, with key dates emerging regarding its release timeline. Notably, Android 16 is set to roll out in Q2 of 2025, ahead of the usual Q3 schedule, following Google’s decision to advance the first Developer Preview from February to November.
Android 16 Beta for Pixel devices to launch in January 2025
Recent comments from a Google employee on the Android Gerrit platform have unveiled several crucial milestones for the upcoming beta releases. The employee discussed the timeline for an upcoming “bugfix”/“feature” and outlined the intended testing procedure. They mentioned that changes for Android 16 Beta 2 are due by January 22, with Beta 3 changes expected by February 19. The scheduled release for Beta 3 is March 12.
This Pixel update is so important for 3 reasons
“Ideally yes, this should be a standard feature flag and go over the same soak time. However, we may want to have this flag enabled asap in a Beta to get early validations. Beta 2 is going to be challenging considering that changes are due for Jan 22 which won’t give us enough time to do QA on it except if we make it part of this week prebuilt. Beta 3 changes due are Feb 19, but Beta 3 will only be released on March 12, almost at the same time of our bug fix cutoff. If these changes are fully ready / validated on our side and can be merged today, we can try including in Beta 2 (and in this case we should keep it under a bugfix flag). If we need more time, then Beta 3 is the only option and I would recommend switching to a standard flag,” the message read.
The first three Android 16 Beta Releases are expected to follow Google’s established monthly schedule outlined in November:
- Beta 1: Initial beta-quality release, distributed as an over-the-air update to early adopters.
- Beta 2: An incremental beta-quality release.
- Beta 3: The first Platform Stability milestone, which will include final APIs and behaviors. This will also open Play publishing.
While the January 22 deadline pertains to internal changes, it does not guarantee that Android 16 Beta 1 will be rolled out on that date. However, given the pace of the month, the historical trends suggest a release could be imminent. The explicit date of March 12 for Beta 3 provides a target for the subsequent phase of the beta program.
Additionally, after reaching Platform Stability with Beta 3, Google may release more beta builds for final testing in April and May before delivering the stable version for AOSP and Pixel devices in Q2 2025. Developers and users can anticipate several significant changes and new features with Android 16, which are expected to be assessed in upcoming beta iterations.
The January release will be available for Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and later models. Based on the Developer Previews already released, forthcoming builds are poised to introduce improvements in volume control, user interface, accessibility features, battery life, and support for medical records.
Expectations are set for early January concerning the release of the first Android 16 beta, with subsequent versions planned for February and March.
Featured image credit: Kerem Gülen/Ideogram
