Android 15 was only released on Pixel devices last month, but an expedited release schedule for Android 16 will better align with new phone launches in 2025.
Google has provided an insight into the forthcoming major version of Android. The initial preview release for Android 16 is now accessible to developers, enhancing the photo library and medical data-sharing functionalities within applications. A modification to advance Android’s release schedule was announced last month, which may enable third-party Android devices launched in 2025 to receive the latest significant updates without prolonged delays.
Matthew McCullough, head of Android Developer, stated, “This marks the beginning of more frequent API releases for Android as part of our initiative to accelerate innovation in applications and devices.”
The preview released today permits developers to integrate Android’s photo picker—an interface that allows users to choose specific images and videos for sharing—directly into their applications. This enhancement aims to facilitate a more streamlined media-sharing experience without requiring apps to access the entirety of a user’s device or cloud storage. Additionally, it features the latest iteration of Privacy Sandbox, which is Google’s forthcoming substitute for Android’s advertising ID.
Furthermore, a preview of the Health Connect application “includes an early version of APIs that support health records,” enabling applications to read and write medical records in FHIR format, as stated by Google. This functionality could allow applications and medical devices to exchange information and medical records (with the user’s explicit consent) in a manner similar to how wearables and fitness trackers currently operate, paralleling a feature found in Apple Health on iPhones.
Judging by Google’s projected release timeline, the first public beta for Android 16 will be available in January 2025. A final public release is expected sometime after April, likely lining up with Google’s annual I/O event (which was held on May 14th this year), where the company usually announces its latest Android updates and product features.
