A new report reveals that Android 16 is expected to roll out on June 3, 2025. Apparently, this date marks not only the release of the code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) but also the start of the over-the-air (OTA) update rollout for Google’s Pixel devices.
That’s a full 2-3 months ahead of schedule, and even sooner for the Pixel OTA update, considering Android 15 didn’t begin its rollout until October 15 this year.
As Google has already pointed out, the main goal behind the earlier release is to ensure more smartphones ship with Android 16 right out of the gate. By launching in June, devices coming in July, August, and September should, in theory, arrive with Android 16 already installed.
This likely includes the Pixel 10 series, which, if history repeats itself, will be revealed in August. It will probably also cover Samsung’s next foldable phones, which are expected to launch in July.
The earlier launch gives Google the chance to roll out a second, smaller update later in the year after gathering user feedback. The shift back to point updates could also be related to AI. Google reportedly wants to push changes faster so developers and OEMs can quickly take advantage of new AI features.
Lately, Google’s been pushing up its release dates, and it makes a lot of sense, especially for its phones. Launching the Pixel in October always felt off – it was too close to the holiday sales rush and just before new processors hit the market. Now, with the August launch, it beats the iPhone to the punch, and that could be a big reason why the Pixel 9 is seeing such a surge in sales this year.
Pixel’s market share rose as the iPhone’s declined.
Shifting the Android 16 launch to June also means the Pixel 10 won’t drop at the same time, which could help avoid some of those pesky bugs at launch. Historically, Android’s new versions and Google’s flagship Pixel phones launched together, and that often led to buggy devices. However, with the Pixel 9 series and Android 15, things were different, which led to less bugs and a much more stable experience.