Google is speeding up the release of its Android operating system – in the hope of fixing one of the biggest problems with the phones running it.
Ever since it first came to phones, Android has had troubles because device manufacturers send out updates at different times. That means that phones are all running various versions of Android, which can cause problems for security and compatibility.
Now, the company is planning to launch the full version of Android in the second quarter of 2025. Previously, new versions of the operating system came in the third quarter, after July.
Sometimes, however, those new versions have not arrived on third-party phones for months. Typically only Google’s own Pixel devices have received them on time.
That will allow for Google to “better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner”, according to Matthew McCullough, a vice president at Google.
But he noted that the change could bring issues. App makers will have to ensure they have fully tested the compatibility of their software earlier than usual, he said, to ensure they are ready “a few months earlier” than they have been required in previous years.