Android 16: Everything you need to know

A big overhaul is coming. ANYRON COPEMAN reports

- ANYRON COPEMAN

Google releases a major new version of its mobile operating system every year, and it's no different in 2025 with Android 16.

Here’s everything you need to know about its release date, expected device compatibility and those all-important new features.

RELEASE DATE

Google officially revealed Android 16 at its 'The Android Show: I/O Edition' event on 13 May. The company hasn't officially said when the new OS will be publicly available. However, Allen Huang, Google's Director of Product Management for Pixel and Android system UI, all but confirmed in a press briefing that the public release would take place in June.

That aligns with an earlier official road map, which suggested that the 'major release' could take place in Q2, so before the end of June 2025.

While Google has not given an exact date for Android 16, at the time of writing it was expected to take place on 3 June, with the update becoming available to Pixel devices via over-the-air rollout on the same day.

The Pixel 10 series is likely to be the first set of phones that ship running Android 16 out of the box. However, as usual, it'll take several months to roll out to all compatible Android phones.

As a reminder, here are the release dates of previous versions of the system:

COMPATIBLE DEVICES

As with every major Android update, a wide range of phones (and other devices like tablets) from different manufacturers will receive Android 16.

Google's own Pixel phones are always among the first to get new Android versions, so expect the Pixel 6, 7, 8 and 9 series, and future Pixel devices, including the Pixel 10 series, to get the update as soon as possible.

In addition, many current and future Android flagship phones from companies such as Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Xiaomi and others are expected to receive Android 16.