Google has announced a significant shift in how it releases the foundational code for the world's most popular mobile operating system. The Android Open Source Project (AOSP), the bedrock upon which countless devices and custom ROMs are built, will now see its source code published just twice a year, a major reduction from its previous quarterly cadence. This strategic move, effective immediately in 2026, aims to streamline development and bolster the overall stability of the Android ecosystem, marking a new chapter in the project's evolution.
A Major Shift in AOSP Release Cadence
For years, Google has maintained a predictable rhythm of releasing AOSP source code shortly after major updates for its Pixel devices, typically aligning with quarterly Platform Releases. This practice allowed device manufacturers, chipset vendors, and the open-source community to access the latest codebase multiple times a year. However, starting in 2026, this frequency has been dramatically reduced. Google has confirmed it will now only publish new source code to AOSP in the second quarter (Q2) and the fourth quarter (Q4) of each year. This change represents a halving of the public source code releases, consolidating efforts around what the company likely views as the most impactful annual updates.
Key Change in AOSP Release Schedule:
- Old Schedule (Pre-2026): Source code released ~4 times per year (with quarterly Platform Releases).
- New Schedule (Effective 2026): Source code released 2 times per year (in Q2 and Q4 only).
The Rationale Behind the Change: Stability and Simplification
Google's stated reason for this change is to "ensure platform stability for the Android ecosystem and better align with Android’s trunk-stable development model." In software development, a trunk-stable model emphasizes maintaining a single, always-stable main branch of code (the trunk), which reduces the complexity of managing multiple, divergent code branches for different releases. By limiting major source code drops to two per year, Google simplifies the integration process for its partners. A company spokesperson elaborated that this approach eliminates complexity, allows for the delivery of more stable and secure code to platform developers, and helps build a more robust foundation for Android overall. The intent is to provide a more solidified and tested codebase for the ecosystem to work from.
Impact on Developers and the Ecosystem
For developers working directly with AOSP—including OEMs building device software and maintainers of community projects like LineageOS—this change has immediate implications. Google now recommends developers utilize the android-latest-release branch instead of aosp-main for building and contributing. The aosp-latest-release manifest will always point to the most recent public release. While this means fewer major code integrations throughout the year, it also promises a more predictable and potentially less fragmented development cycle. The reduced churn could lead to more mature and stable downstream builds, as developers have longer to work with each code drop before the next one arrives.
Google's Recommended Development Branch:
- Developers are advised to switch from using the
aosp-mainbranch to theandroid-latest-releasebranch for building and contributing. - The
aosp-latest-releasemanifest will always reference the most recent public AOSP release.
Security Updates Remain Unchanged
Crucially, Google has been quick to clarify that this change does not affect its monthly security update process. The company will continue to publish security patches each month on dedicated security-only branches for relevant OS releases. This distinction is vital, as it separates the rhythm of feature and platform development from the critical pipeline of vulnerability fixes. Users and enterprises reliant on regular security patches can be assured that this aspect of Android's support remains on its existing, frequent schedule, independent of the biannual major source code releases.
Unaffected Process:
- Monthly Security Patches: Google confirms its process for releasing monthly security patches will not change. These will continue to be published on dedicated security branches.
A New Chapter for AOSP Development
This policy shift signals Google's maturing approach to managing the sprawling Android ecosystem. By moving from a quarterly to a biannual source release schedule, the company is prioritizing consolidation and deep stability over rapid iteration in its public code drops. This evolution reflects the immense scale and complexity of the modern Android platform, where consistency for thousands of device variants is paramount. While the open-source community may have fewer fresh code drops to examine, the trade-off aims to be a stronger, more secure, and more manageable foundation for everyone building upon Android.