Last week, Google revealed that it plans to release the next major Android update earlier than usual. According to the company's release timeline, the Android 16 update will be released sometime in the second quarter of next year (2025). Now, the exact Android 16 release date has potentially leaked.
Android 16 could be released in early June 2025 alongside Pixel 10
According to a report from Android Headlines, Google plans to release the Android 16 update on June 3, 2025. That's much earlier than when the AOSP version of Android 15 was released. Apparently, the AOSP and Pixel versions of Android 16 will be released on the same day. That also appears to be the date when the Pixel 10 series will launch.
This year, Google released the stable AOSP version of Android 15 on September 5 and the Pixel-specific Android 15 update on October 16. There was a gap of more than a month between the AOSP and Pixel releases.
Google has already revealed why it is planning to release Android 16 earlier. It is to line up with major smartphone launches happening in the second half of next year. Those launches likely include the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
It isn't clear if the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will come with Android 16 (likely One UI 8.0) pre-installed or if Samsung plans to release that update a few months after the launch of its next-generation foldable phones.
One UI 7.0 is a huge update, so One UI 8.0 could bring smaller design changes
One UI 7.0, based on Android 15, is a major release, bringing a huge UI design revamp compared to earlier versions. It has a two-page Quick Panel layout, one for notifications and one for quick setting toggles. It also features new animations and transitions, including a new charging animation.
Samsung is also introducing new app icons for some stock apps, new Galaxy AI features, a new version of Bixby (based on LLM), and a new UI for ongoing activities. Those ongoing activities include music playback, timer, stopwatch, and more.
The upcoming version of One UI also introduces a new design for the Camera app, bringing most camera controls towards the bottom of the screen. It improves one-handed usage and ergonomics while using the camera. It also brings improved parental controls.
Author's Note: Since One UI 7.0 is a major UI upgrade, One UI 8.0 might not bring big UI design changes. However, it could still bring a lot of new features, architectural improvements, and improved AI features.
