【1977 Archives】

It's software update season977 Archives folks.

Google confirmed on Tuesday that Android 16, the next release of its mobile operating system (and, confusingly for some people around my age, one of the best Dragon Ball Zcharacters) will launch in June. It brings plenty of new Gemini AI features, as well as a refresh to the user interface that's rolling out to Pixel devices first.

Speaking of devices, not every Android device on Earth will support Android 16. You need to make sure you have a new enough phone to download the update when it launches this summer. So, which phones will support Android 16 at launch?

Every Pixel phone that supports Android 16

It's a littletough to definitively list every single Android phone that will support Android 16, since there are approximately 10 million different Android phone models on the market at any given time. However, at the very least, we know which Google Pixel models will support it:

• Pixel 6

• Pixel 6 Pro

• Pixel 6a

• Pixel 7

• Pixel 7 Pro

• Pixel 7a

• Pixel 8

• Pixel 8 Pro

• Pixel 8a

• Pixel 9

• Pixel 9 Pro/Pro XL

• Pixel 9a

• Pixel 9 Pro Fold

• Pixel Fold

There are a bunch of other Android manufacturers, including some companies that don't even really release phones in the U.S. market. Of course, the most notable Android phone maker is Samsung. According to a site called Android Update Tracker, Samsung Galaxy S phones going back to the S22 shouldget Android 16, but don't count on anything older than that getting it.

What Samsung phones will support Android 16

Obviously, we'll know more about device support once Android 16 is fully out there and not in beta testing. However, based on what we know so far, we're confident the following Samsung smartphones will also support Android 16 when it launches later this spring:

• Google Pixel 9a review: This is the budget smartphone to beat in 2025
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: Not enough to justify an upgrade
• I got to try Samsung's new ultra-thin S25 Edge smartphone

• Galaxy S25 Edge

• Galaxy S25

• Galaxy S25+

• Galaxy S25 Ultra

• Galaxy Z Fold6

• Galaxy Z Flip6

• Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition

• Galaxy S24

• Galaxy S24+

• Galaxy S24 Ultra

• Galaxy Z Fold5

• Galaxy Z Flip5

• Galaxy S22

• Galaxy S22+

• Galaxy S22 Ultra

• Galaxy S23

• Galaxy S23+

• Galaxy S23 Ultra

• Galaxy A16

• Galaxy A16 5G

• Galaxy A26 5G

• Galaxy A36 5G

• Galaxy A15

• Galaxy A15 5G

• Galaxy A25 5G

• Galaxy A35 5G

This is only a partial list. If you don't see your phone, check Samsung to see if your phone is still getting active security updates. That doesn't guarantee your phone will support Android 16, but it's definitely more likely.

Other phones that will get Android 16

In addition to Samsung and Pixel phones, a variety of other smartphones will also support Android 16. While we don't have an exact list, the Android developer blog mentions specific brands that are eligible for the Android 16 beta. If you have a relatively new phone from one of the following brands, then you're likely to get access to Android 16 sooner than later. We're also including Motorola, which runs on the Android OS.

• Motorola

• Hono

• IQOO

• Lenovo

• OnePlus

• OPPO

• realme

• Sharp

• Vivo

• Xiaomi

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