developer APIs Archives

AppWizard

November 21, 2024

Google releases Android 16 Developer Preview 1

Google has launched the first Developer Preview of Android 16 for developers to begin early-stage development and testing. This release may have performance issues and applications may not function flawlessly. Android 16 includes system changes that could lead to minor glitches or significant limitations until applications are updated for compatibility. Google plans to implement more frequent API releases, with a major launch expected in Q2 2025, and a minor update projected for Q4 2025. Developers will need to conduct annual compatibility testing earlier due to this new timeline. The SDKINTFULL constant has been introduced for version checks, and developers are encouraged to provide feedback on the APIs. Notable features in the preview include an embedded photo picker and Health Connect APIs for managing medical records. The Developer Preview can be installed on various Google Pixel devices, but stability and performance issues may arise, making it unsuitable for daily use. Known issues include app launch failures and camera problems during video recording. The preview lacks Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) approval, which may affect the performance of some applications, including Google’s native apps.

AppWizard

October 31, 2024

Here’s how Android’s faster release schedule will affect Android apps

Google plans to implement more frequent updates to its Android release strategy starting in 2025, coinciding with the launch of Android 16 in the second quarter. A minor update, Android 16 QPR2, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025 and will introduce new developer APIs along with feature updates, optimizations, and bug fixes. Historically, major Android versions were released annually with quarterly platform releases focusing on new features rather than API introductions. The last QPR that included new APIs was in 2022 with Android 12L. Developers will need to monitor both major and minor SDK versions, as the major SDK version will increment with the major release while the minor SDK version will increase with each minor release. Developers are not required to support minor releases, and the Google Play Store will maintain existing target API level requirements focused on annual major releases. New APIs from minor releases will carry over into subsequent major updates.