- AOSP source code will be shared with developers in Q2 and Q4, skipping Q1 and Q3 for the first time.
- Security patches and other updates will always be released
- Google says changes will improve stability and security
Google is set to cut in half the frequency with which it releases Android source code, a major change after nearly two decades of quarterly releases.
Starting in 2026, the company will only release Android Open Source Project (AOSP) source code details twice a year in the second and fourth quarters.
The popular operating system for smartphones and tablets will still be updated four times a year, but only two of the updates will have public AOSP releases: a major update in the second quarter and a minor one in the fourth quarter.
AOSP source code will be released twice a year, not four times
The Android Open Source Project, built and released by Google under the Apache 2.0 license, allows third-party developers to use, modify and distribute their own versions of Android without having to cough up Google. They also face reduced requirements for sharing source code, as this is covered by Google in the project.
The frequency reduction aims to improve the stability of the platform. “Starting in 2026, to align with our stable development model and ensure platform stability for the ecosystem, we will release source code to AOSP in Q2 and Q4,” reads a banner on the project’s website.
Regular security patches will not be affected, as they will continue through a dedicated security-only branch. Quarterly AOSP updates and continued development on the operating system will continue as normal – Google will simply reduce how often it actually shares source code.
Separately, a Google spokesperson said Android Authority that biannual releases would help Google “deliver more stable and secure code to Android platform developers” while reducing complexity.
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