🤖 Android 16 will be released in the second quarter of 2025. Google will release SDK updates more often than once a year.

Currently, the Android update schedule consists of one major update with SDK upgrades and changes in system behavior, and three quarterly updates with stability improvements and new features (Pixel Drop). However, Google has announced changes to the Android update schedule.

There are 2 SDK updates scheduled for 2025: a Major update in the second quarter (Q2) and a Minor update in the fourth quarter (Q4). Both updates include new APIs for developers, but changes affecting app behavior will only be contained in the major (first) update. The minor update will also include new features, bug fixes, and new APIs, but will not affect apps behavior, and developers will not do the same work twice.

The first and third quarter updates will be regular quarterly updates with 'Features only'.

Thus the first stable release of Android 16 'Baklava' will take place in spring 2025, instead of fall. Accordingly, and the first Developer Preview will appear much earlier than February.

Google argues that this change is necessary to “better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.”

😎 Google News | En

🤖 Android 15 QPR2 Beta around the corner

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 was the last beta in the December Quarterly Release testing cycle. And now Google is preparing to release the first beta of the second quarterly update Android 15 QPR2, which will be released in March next year.

Android 15 QPR1 beta users (the build number starts with AP4) who haven't exited the beta test will automatically get the update to Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1.

If you want to leave the beta test and upgrade to the stable Android 15 QPR1 in December without data loss, you need to follow the steps below:

• Opt out of the beta program.
• Ignore/don’t apply the downgrade OTA update.The OTA message will have ‘Downgrade’ in the denoscription. Opting out will not cause a data wipe as long as you don’t apply the downgrade OTA update.
• Wait for the final public stable release of Android 15 QPR1 (AP4A), which is coming in December. The update page will explicitly say “No Data Wipe”.

❗️If you upgrade to Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1, the next exit window without data loss will only be in March 2025.

❗️Downgrade from Android 15 QPR1 (AP41) to regular Android 15 (AP3A) is only possible with data loss.

Stable Android 15 (AP3A) users will receive stable Android 15 QPR1 (AP41) in December as a regular over-the-air update.

😎 Google News | En

November 2024 Android 15 security patch for Pixel devices has been released.

This update only applies to the Android 15 stable update channel. Security patch update for beta versions are expected with the release of Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1.

Fixed issues:

Bluetooth
• Fix for issue with Bluetooth range under certain conditions*[Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold]

Camera
• Fix for issue observing camera tilt when zooming between cameras under certain conditions*[Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold]

Display & Graphics
• Fix for issue causing white dots to flash under certain conditions*[Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold]
• Fix for issue with screen brightness flickering under certain conditions*[Pixel 8a]

Sensors
• Fix for issue occasionally preventing Adaptive brightness from activating in certain conditions*[Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold]

Touch
• Fix for issue in pressing the keyboard dismiss button in certain conditions*[Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold]

User Interface
• General improvements for performance and stability in certain UI transitions and animations*[Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, Fold, Tablet, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, Pro Fold]

Build Number: AP3A.241105.007
Security Patch: November 2024

🔗 Android Security Bulletin — November 2024
🔗 Pixel Update Bulletin — November 2024

🔗 Factory Images
🔗 OTA-images

😎 Google News | En

🤖 The first beta of Android 15 QPR2 has been released.

Google has released the first beta of the second quarterly update (QPR2) for Android 15, which will be released in March 2025. The beta program is available for devices starting with the Pixel 6 and newer, which means the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will get Android 15 QPR2 next March, even though their official support for Android versions ended in October.

Build number: BP11.241025.006
Security Patch: November 2024

🔗 Factory images
🔗 OTA images
🔗 Sign up for the beta test for the over-the-air upgrade

*QPR — quarterly platform release

#Android15

😎 Google News | En

Android 15 QPR2 Beta1: All Google Tensor-based devices are getting a 6.1.99 kernel update

Earlier this year, a Google employee mentioned in one of the commits on AOSP Gerrit that Pixel devices could be updated to the Linux 6.1 kernel along with Android 15. However, so far the only Google devices to get the sixth version of the kernel have been the Pixel 9 series devices with kernel version 6.1.75.

In the first beta of Android 15 QPR2, Google has updated the kernel version to 6.1.99 for all Google Tensor-based Pixel devices, starting with the Pixel 6 and newer.

#Android15

😎 Google News | En

Google may bring back a feature lost with Android 12.

Along with Android 12, Google cut out a number of customization features such as different status bar icon options, fonts and the home screen icons shape. And from the looks of it, the latter option will soon grace us with its return.

The company has been working on redesigning the Wallpaper & Style app for some time now, and as part of the redesign, a new item “App Shape, Layout” has appeared in the options list that will allow you to change the shape of app icons. There will be 6 options to choose from.

The change is revealed inside Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1, but it's likely we'll only see the light of day in Android 16.

😎 Google News | En

Pixel Watches are getting a November security patch.

Pixel Watch 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation devices are getting a November 2024 software update. For Pixel Watch 3 and others who have already managed to update to Wear OS 5, this update only contains a security patch.

For Pixel Watch 1 and 2 users who didn't manage to upgrade to Wear OS 5 before Google pulled the update due to issues, this update apparently brings Wear OS 5.

To speed up getting the update, put the watch on charge, open the Settings/System/System Update page, and tap the watch icon at the top several times in a row.

(?) Odd moment: Google states that “the next update planned for March 2025.” Whether the company is referring to a major system update or a software update in general remains to be seen.

Build number: AW2A.241105.012

😎 Google News | En

🤖 The first Developer Preview version of Android 16 has been released.

As previously announced, Android 16 will be released in the second quarter of 2025, therefore Google has published the first Developer Preview version of Android 16 3 months earlier than usual. A total of 2 developer previews (Developer Preview) and at least 4 beta versions of the system are planned. The final release is expected after April.

Developer Preview builds are available for all Google Tensor-powered Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6, 6 Pro and 6a, which means these devices will get Android 16.

You can install the Developer Preview using either the factory image or manually sideloading an OTA image. It is not possible to update to Developer Preview over the air.

Known issues:
• Tapping an ongoing media notification sometimes fails to launch the corresponding app.
• On some devices, the camera screen sometimes flashes if the zoom level is adjusted while recording video.

❗️❗️❗️Regular users are in no way recommended to install this build, especially with a locked bootloader in order to avoid potential device bricking.

Build number: BP21.241018.009
Security patch: November 2024

🔗 Factory images
🔗 OTA images

#Android16

😎 Google News | En

🤖 Google released Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3.1 with minor bugfixes and November security patch.

While the beta testing of 15 QPR2 is already well underway, ahead of the December update, Google has decided to release a small update for the third beta of 15 QPR1 in which the company has fixed the following issues:

• Fixed an issue where tapping media controls closed the notification shade but didn't open the app.
• Fixed an issue where long pressing the device entry icon didn't work when there were many notifications and the notification shelf was overlapping the lock icon.
• Fixed an issue that prevented proper volume control for some Bluetooth devices.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Material You, wallpaper-derived color options to be very similar.
• Fixed an issue that caused the scrollbar in the system settings to be sized and styled inconsistently.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused NFC payments to fail.
• Fixed an issue where translations in Indonesian and Hebrew didn't display correctly for apps that are targeting Android 14 (API level 34) or lower.
• Fixed various other issues that were impacting system stability, camera, connectivity, localization, accessibility, and interactivity.

The release of Android 15 QPR1 is expected in about a week and a half.

Build number: AP41.240925.009 → AP41.240925.012
Security Patch: November 2024

🔗 Factory images
🔗 OTA images

*QPR — quarterly platform release

#Android15

😎 Google News | En

Stable version of Android 15 QPR1 has been released for Pixel devices.

QPR1 is the first quarterly update for Android 15, which has been testing since late August. This update brings the following new features:

• Predictive back animation for keyboard
• Updated animation for holding down quick settings tiles
• Top-level Settings homepage redesign
• New keyboard switcher globe key
• New status bar chips for screen recording/screen casting
• Compact heads-up notifications layout for immersive content
• External display settings
• Lock screen widgets for Pixel Tablet
• Support for windowed desktop mode for Pixel Tablet
• Limit charging to 80%
• Updated animation of returning to the home screen

Also, alongside the quarterly update, the December Pixel Feature Drop was released, with new features being rolled out via app updates. These changes will be described in the following posts.

Build number: AP4A.241205.013
Security Patch: December 2024

Available for Pixel 6 and newer devices.

🔗 Android Security Bulletin — December 2024
🔗 Pixel Update Bulletin — December 2024

🔗 Factory Images
🔗 OTA-images

😎 Google News | En

Pixel 6 & 7 series (and Fold) get an extended OS update period.

At the release of these devices, Google promised "at least" 3 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates from the time these devices appeared on the Google Store.

Now the info on the support page has been updated saying that the Pixel 6, 6a, 6 Pro, 7, 7a, 7 Pro and Fold will receive both OS and security updates for 5 years, which may also include a Pixel Feature Drops.

So support for the 6 series will end in 2026 and the Pixel 7 series in 2027.

As of now, the support page for the Pixel Tablet remains unchanged.

😎 Google News | En