Posted by Matthew McCullough – VP of Product Administration, Android Developer
Android 16 Developer Preview 1 is on the market now to check together with your apps. That is the beginning of Android having extra frequent API releases as a part of our effort to drive quicker innovation in apps and gadgets.
Two Android API releases in 2025
- This preview is for the subsequent main launch of Android with a deliberate launch in Q2 of 2025. This launch is just like all of our API releases up to now, the place we are able to have deliberate habits modifications which might be typically tied to a targetSdkVersion.
- We’re planning the foremost launch 1 / 4 earlier (Q2 reasonably than Q3 in prior years) to higher align with the schedule of machine launches throughout our ecosystem, so extra gadgets can get the foremost launch of Android sooner. With the foremost launch coming in Q2, you’ll must do your annual compatibility testing a number of months sooner than in earlier years to verify your apps are prepared.
- We plan to have one other launch in This fall of 2025 which additionally will embrace new developer APIs. The Q2 main launch would be the solely launch in 2025 to incorporate deliberate habits modifications that would have an effect on apps.
Along with new developer APIs, the This fall minor launch will decide up characteristic updates, optimizations, and bug fixes; it is not going to embrace any app-impacting habits modifications.
We’ll proceed to have quarterly Android releases. The Q1 and Q3 updates in-between the API releases will present incremental updates to assist guarantee steady high quality. We’re actively working with our machine companions to carry the Q2 launch to as many gadgets as doable.
Utilizing new APIs with main and minor releases
Guarding a code block with a examine for Android’s API degree is finished at the moment utilizing the SDK_INT fixed with VERSION_CODES. It will proceed to be supported for main Android releases.
if (SDK_INT >= VERSION_CODES.BAKLAVA) { // Use APIs launched in Android 16 }
The brand new SDK_INT_FULL fixed can be utilized for API checks in opposition to each main and minor variations with the brand new VERSION_CODES_FULL enumeration.
if (SDK_INT_FULL >= VERSION_CODES_FULL.[MAJOR or MINOR RELEASE]) { // Use APIs launched in a serious or minor launch }
You can even use the Construct.getMinorSdkVersion() technique to get simply the minor SDK model.
val minorSdkVersion = Construct.getMinorSdkVersion(VERSION_CODES_FULL.BAKLAVA)
These APIs haven’t but been finalized and are topic to vary, so please ship us suggestions you probably have any issues.
Be aware that 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 might be tied to the foremost API degree.
Embedded photograph picker
The photograph picker offers a protected, built-in means for customers to grant your app entry to chose photographs and movies from each native and cloud storage, as a substitute of their whole media library. Utilizing a mixture of Modular System Parts via Google System Updates and Google Play providers, it is supported again to Android 4.4 (API degree 19). Integration requires only a few traces of code with the related Android Jetpack library.
The developer preview contains new APIs that allow apps to embed the photograph picker into their view hierarchy. This enables it to really feel like a extra built-in a part of the app whereas nonetheless leveraging the method isolation that enables customers to pick media with out the app needing overly-broad permissions. To maximise compatibility throughout platform variations and simplify your integration, you may need to use the forthcoming Android Jetpack library if you happen to want to combine the embedded photograph picker.
Well being data
The developer preview of Well being Join comprises an early model of APIs supporting well being data. This enables apps to learn and write medical data in FHIR format with specific person consent. This API is at the moment in an early entry program. Signal as much as be a part of our early entry program.
Privateness Sandbox on Android
Android 16 incorporates the most recent model of the Privateness Sandbox on Android, a part of our ongoing work to develop applied sciences the place customers know their privateness is protected. Our web site has extra in regards to the Privateness Sandbox on Android developer beta program that can assist you get began. Take a look at the SDK Runtime which permits SDKs to run in a devoted runtime surroundings separate from the app they’re serving, offering stronger safeguards round person information assortment and sharing.
prepare
Along with performing compatibility testing on the subsequent main launch, 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 as they grow to be out there for early testing.
App compatibility
The Android 16 Preview program runs from November 2024 till the ultimate public launch subsequent 12 months. At key growth milestones, we’ll ship updates on your growth and testing environments. Every replace contains SDK instruments, system photographs, emulators, API reference, and API diffs. We’ll spotlight essential APIs as they’re prepared to check within the preview program in blogs and on the Android 16 developer web site.
We’re concentrating on Late Q1 of 2025 for our Platform Stability milestone. At this milestone, we’ll ship closing SDK/NDK APIs and likewise closing inner APIs and app-facing system behaviors. We’re anticipating to achieve Platform Stability in March 2025, and from that point you’ll have a number of months earlier than the official launch to do your closing testing. Go to our Android Builders web site for particulars on the discharge timeline.
Get began with Android 16
You will get began at the moment with Developer Preview 1 by flashing a system picture and updating the instruments. We’re searching for your suggestions so please report points and submit characteristic requests on the suggestions web page. The sooner we get your suggestions, the extra we are able to embrace within the closing launch.
For the very best growth expertise with Android 16, we suggest that you just use the newest preview of the Android Studio Ladybug characteristic drop. When you’re arrange, listed below are among the issues it’s best to do:
- Compile in opposition to the brand new SDK, take a look at in CI environments, and report any points in our tracker on the suggestions web page.
- Take a look at your present app for compatibility, study whether or not your app is affected by modifications in Android 16, and set up your app onto a tool or emulator operating Android 16 and extensively take a look at it.
We’ll replace the preview system photographs and SDK repeatedly all through the Android 16 launch cycle. This preliminary preview launch is for builders solely and never meant for day by day or shopper use, so we’re making it out there by handbook obtain solely. When you’ve manually put in a preview construct, you’ll routinely get future updates over-the-air for all later previews and Betas. Go to the Android developer web site for additional data on Android updates.
Should you’ve already put in Beta 1 from the Android 15 QPR2 Beta program, you won’t be able to maneuver to the Android 16 Developer Preview program with out wiping your machine. Think about avoiding putting in future betas to transition to the subsequent developer preview construct with no information wipe.
As we attain our Beta releases, we’ll be inviting customers to attempt Android 16 as effectively, and we’ll open up enrollment for Android 16 within the Android Beta program at the moment.
For full data, go to the Android 16 developer web site.
