Posted by Matthew McCullough – Vice President, Product Administration, Android Developer
Android has all the time labored to get innovation into the arms of customers quicker. Along with our annual platform releases, we’ve invested in Challenge Treble, Mainline, Google Play companies, month-to-month safety updates, and the quarterly releases that assist energy Pixel Drops.
Going ahead, Android may have extra frequent SDK releases with two releases deliberate in 2025 with new developer APIs. These releases will assist to drive quicker innovation in apps and gadgets, with larger stability and polish for customers and builders.
Two Android releases in 2025
Subsequent 12 months, we’ll have a serious launch in Q2 and a minor launch in This fall, each of which is able to embody new developer APIs. The Q2 main launch would be the solely launch in 2025 to incorporate habits modifications that may have an effect on apps. We’re planning the main launch for Q2 relatively than Q3 to higher align with the schedule of gadget launches throughout our ecosystem, so extra gadgets can get the main launch of Android sooner.
The This fall minor launch will decide up function updates, optimizations, and bug fixes because the main launch. It can additionally embody new developer APIs, however won’t embody any app-impacting habits modifications.
Exterior of the main and minor Android releases, our Q1 and Q3 releases will present incremental updates to assist guarantee steady high quality. We’re actively working with our gadget companions to convey the Q2 launch to as many gadgets as potential.
What this implies to your apps
With the main launch coming in Q2, you’ll must do your annual compatibility testing a couple of months sooner than in earlier years to ensure your apps are prepared. Main releases are similar to the SDK releases we have now right now, and might embody habits modifications together with new developer APIs – and that will help you get began, we’ll quickly start the developer preview and beta program for the Q2 main launch.
The minor launch in This fall will embody new APIs, however, just like the incremental quarterly releases we have now right now, may have no deliberate habits modifications, minimizing the necessity for compatibility testing. To distinguish main releases (which can comprise deliberate habits modifications) from minor releases, minor releases won’t increment the API degree. As an alternative, they’re going to increment a brand new minor API degree worth, which shall be accessed by means of a continuing that captures each main and minor API ranges. A brand new manifest attribute will will let you specify a minor API degree because the minimal required SDK launch to your app. We’ll have an preliminary model of help for minor API ranges within the upcoming Q2 developer preview, so please strive constructing in opposition to the SDK and tell us how this works for you.
When planning your concentrating on for 2026, there’s no change to the goal API degree necessities and the related dates for apps in Google Play; our plans are for one annual requirement every year, and that shall be tied to the main API degree solely.
How you can prepare
Along with compatibility testing on the following main launch, you will need to ensure that to check your builds and CI programs with SDK’s supporting main and minor API ranges – some construct programs (together with the Android Gradle construct) would possibly want adapting. Just remember to’re compiling your apps in opposition to the brand new SDK, and use the compatibility framework to allow targetSdkVersion-gated habits modifications for early testing.
Meta is a good instance of the right way to embrace and take a look at for brand spanking new releases: they improved their velocity in direction of targetSdkVersion adoption by 4x. They compiled apps in opposition to every platform Beta and carried out thorough automated and smoke assessments to proactively determine potential points. This helped them seamlessly undertake new platform options, and when the discharge rolled out to customers, Meta’s apps have been prepared – creating an incredible person expertise.
What’s subsequent?
As all the time, we plan to work carefully with you as we transfer by means of the 2025 releases. We are going to make all of our quarterly releases obtainable to you for testing and suggestions, with over-the-air Beta releases for our early testers on Pixel and downloadable system photos and instruments for builders.
Our intention with these modifications is to allow quicker innovation and a better degree of high quality and polish throughout releases, with out introducing extra overhead or prices for builders. On the similar time, we’re welcoming an excellent nearer collaboration with you all year long. Keep tuned for extra data on the primary developer preview of Android 16.
The shift in platform releases highlights Android’s dedication to fixed evolution and collaboration. By working carefully with companions and listening to the wants of builders, Android continues to push the boundaries of what is potential within the cell world. It is an thrilling time to be a part of the Android ecosystem, and I can not wait to see what the long run holds!