Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The official Android 16 release timeline states that Google will release the first three beta builds in January, February, and March.
- A Googler has revealed the potential release dates for these beta builds.
- Google may release additional beta updates in April and May ahead of the stable release sometime in Q2 2025.
Google confirmed plans to release the next major Android platform upgrade much earlier than usual, shortly before rolling out the first Android 16 developer preview build last November. We’ve since received another developer preview build, and Google is expected to roll out the first beta build later this month. Although the company has not shared definite release dates for the upcoming beta builds, a Googler may have accidentally spilled the beans.
According to Google’s official Android 16 release timeline, the first beta build will roll out this month, followed by the second beta update in February and the third beta update in March. The timeline doesn’t mention exact dates, but Android Authority contributor Assemble Debug has spotted a comment on the Android Gerrit in which a Googler reveals that Android 16 Beta 3 will roll out on March 12.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
The Googler also mentions two other significant dates in the comment: January 22 and February 19. While not explicitly confirmed, these could be the release dates for the first and second beta builds.
With the Beta 3 update, Android 16 will reach its first Platform Stability milestone. Afterward, Google may roll out additional beta builds for final testing in April and May before releasing the stable update to AOSP and Pixel devices in Q2 2025. The next major Android platform upgrade will likely bring several significant changes and new features. You can learn more about the confirmed and leaked features that could be a part of the update in our Android 16 features roundup.
