You might have only just started playing around with all the new Android 15 goodies, but Android 16 will be here sooner than you think. That’s right, Google is speeding up its update cycle, shaking off the yearly cadence for something a little less predictable. It’s a big shift with the potential to shake up how the smartphone industry operates and set Android on a new collision course with Apple. Stay with me here.
Android may have accidentally settled into its Q3 release rhythm, but the more cynical amongst us have often wondered if the timing had much more to do with Apple than Google would ever admit. With iOS and new iPhone announcements landing like clockwork as September rolls into October, it’s perhaps historically been seen as important to have Android in the news around the same. But should Android really be living in iOS’ shadow anymore? The platform has long had more modern features and has taken a significant lead in the AI arms race.