The excitement for Android fans is palpable as Google finally announces the release of Android 16 today! While all eyes have been on the new iOS 26, Google has quietly rolled out the final version of Android 16, marking the end of its beta phase.
But don’t be fooled by the word ‘final’-this isn’t the end, but the conclusion of the testing period.
At the moment, the update is exclusively available for supported Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6-series and newer. These phones must either be running Android 15 or a previous Android 16 beta to be eligible for the update. Other phone manufacturers are expected to release their final Android 16 updates soon, as they’ve been following Google’s own beta cycle.
However, there’s a catch: if you’re on Android 16 QPR 1 Beta 1, you won’t receive the final update as an over-the-air download just yet. The quarterly QPR (Quarterly Platform Release) is set for the fall and will introduce the much-anticipated Material 3 Expressive UI overhaul, but it’s on a separate track from the main Android 16 release.
In the meantime, let’s gear up for the official launch of Android 16. Will it live up to the hype? We’ll see soon enough!
Note: If you’re running Android 16 QPR 1 Beta 1, the final Android 16 update will not be available as an OTA update. Stay tuned for the major UI overhaul in the fall!