The First Developer Preview of Android 16

Posted by Matthew McCullough – VP of Product Administration, Android Developer

Android 16 Developer Preview 1 is offered 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 sooner 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 prior to now, the place we are able to have deliberate conduct modifications which can be typically tied to a targetSdkVersion.
• We’re planning the most important launch 1 / 4 earlier (Q2 reasonably than Q3 in prior years) to raised align with the schedule of machine launches throughout our ecosystem, so extra gadgets can get the most important launch of Android sooner. With the most important launch coming in Q2, you’ll have to do your annual compatibility testing a couple 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 conduct modifications that would have an effect on apps.

Along with new developer APIs, the This fall minor launch will choose up characteristic updates, optimizations, and bug fixes; it won’t embrace any app-impacting conduct 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 convey the Q2 launch to as many gadgets as attainable.

Utilizing new APIs with main and minor releases

Guarding a code block with a test for Android’s API stage is completed at present utilizing the SDK_INT fixed with VERSION_CODES. This can 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 significant or minor launch
}

You can even use the Construct.getMinorSdkVersion() methodology 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 when you have any issues.

Observe that there’s no change to the goal API stage necessities and the related dates for apps in Google Play; our plans are for one annual requirement annually, and that shall be tied to the most important API stage.

Embedded photograph picker

The photograph picker gives a secure, built-in approach for customers to grant your app entry to chose pictures and movies from each native and cloud storage, as an alternative of their whole media library. Utilizing a mixture of Modular System Elements via Google System Updates and Google Play companies, it is supported again to Android 4.4 (API stage 19). Integration requires just some strains of code with the related Android Jetpack library.

The developer preview consists of 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 permits customers to pick media with out the app needing overly-broad permissions. To maximise compatibility throughout platform variations and simplify your integration, you may wish to use the forthcoming Android Jetpack library for those who want to combine the embedded photograph picker.

Well being information

The developer preview of Well being Join incorporates an early model of APIs supporting well being information. This enables apps to learn and write medical information 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 newest 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 concerning 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 setting separate from the app they’re serving, offering stronger safeguards round person knowledge assortment and sharing.

The way to 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 conduct modifications as they turn into obtainable 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 consists of SDK instruments, system pictures, emulators, API reference, and API diffs. We’ll spotlight crucial APIs as they’re prepared to check within the preview program in blogs and on the Android 16 developer web site.

We’re focusing 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 may get began at present 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 one of the best growth expertise with Android 16, we advocate that you simply use the newest preview of the Android Studio Ladybug characteristic drop. When you’re arrange, listed here are among the issues it’s best to do:

• Compile in opposition to the brand new SDK, check 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 check it.

We’ll replace the preview system pictures and SDK commonly all through the Android 16 launch cycle. This preliminary preview launch is for builders solely and never supposed for day by day or shopper use, so we’re making it obtainable by guide obtain solely. When you’ve manually put in a preview construct, you’ll robotically get future updates over-the-air for all later previews and Betas. Go to the Android developer web site for additional info on Android updates.

For those who’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. Take into account avoiding putting in future betas to transition to the subsequent developer preview construct and not using a knowledge 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 info, go to the Android 16 developer web site.