![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Android_figures_standing_around_Pixel_phone_with_AOSP_home_page_showing-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n
Google has delayed releasing the source code for Android 16 QPR1, worrying custom ROM developers who rely on timely AOSP (Android Open Source Project) updates.
\nWhile Google typically publishes source code within 48 hours of a new release, it has been a week, breaking a long-standing precedent for the community.
\nGoogle confirmed the code is coming \u201cin the coming weeks,\u201d but the situation has reignited concerns about the company\u2019s commitment to open-sourcing Android.<\/p>\n
Last week, Google rolled out the Android 16 QPR1 update<\/a>, bringing the company\u2019s long-awaited Material 3 Expressive<\/a> design overhaul and other exciting features to Pixel users. If you want to try new Android features but don\u2019t own a Pixel device, your best option is usually to install a custom ROM<\/a> based on the open-source version of the operating system. Google typically publishes the source code for new Android versions within 1-2 days of release, allowing independent developers to quickly start porting the new changes to their custom ROMs. That hasn\u2019t happened this time, though, leaving many developers to wonder if Google\u2019s history of timely open source releases is over.<\/p>\n AOSP<\/a>, short for the Android Open Source Project, is an operating system Google releases under the permissive Apache 2.0 License, which allows anyone to use, modify, and distribute their own AOSP-based operating systems without paying fees or releasing their modified source code. This licensing structure is what allowed Android to become so popular, but it\u2019s also why the OS looks so different across devices. The software experience only feels familiar across most smartphones, tablets, watches, and TVs running Android because companies must follow certain guidelines to get access to Google Mobile Services (GMS)<\/a> \u2014 Google\u2019s suite of proprietary apps that includes the Play Store.<\/p>\n Even if your company doesn\u2019t license GMS, you can still build your own operating system from AOSP. The source code is freely available under the Apache 2.0 license, and Google regularly publishes new code to AOSP shortly after releasing a new Android version. Within hours of rolling out a new quarterly or major release to its Pixel devices, Google typically begins uploading the corresponding source code to AOSP. This process usually takes 24-48 hours due to the codebase\u2019s size and complexity.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a week since Google released Android 16 QPR1, and there are no signs that the company has even begun to upload its source code. Normally, a minor delay wouldn\u2019t be a cause for concern; perhaps the team responsible for AOSP releases is understaffed, or maybe there\u2019s another complication. However, given recent changes to AOSP, developers are understandably concerned this delay is intentional. They\u2019re worried about the impact these delays could have on their projects, as users have grown accustomed to fast turnarounds following a new Android release.<\/p>\n We reached out to Google a few days ago for comment on whether and when it plans to release the source code for Android 16 QPR1. In a statement to Android Authority, Google confirmed it will release the source code \u201cin the coming weeks.\u201d The company didn\u2019t explain the reason for the delay or offer a more specific timeline, but its statement reassures developers that the code is coming \u2014 just later than usual.<\/p>\n Why are developers concerned about AOSP?<\/p>\n C. Scott Brown \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Although AOSP is open source, nearly all of its development happens privately, with Google contributing the bulk of the code. Google used to develop some parts of Android in public, but it fully privatized development earlier this year<\/a> to simplify its workflow. Aware that this would spark concern, Google told Android Authority that it remained committed to publishing Android\u2019s source code.<\/p>\n This commitment was tested when Google released Android 16<\/a> back in June. While the company did publish the operating system\u2019s source code, it dealt a huge blow to the Pixel custom ROM community<\/a> by omitting code for Pixel-specific hardware features. This omission, while not affecting the core OS, fueled speculation that Google was planning to discontinue AOSP. In response to the outcry, Google\u2019s VP and GM of Android Platform, Seang Chau, posted on X<\/a>, stating that \u201cAOSP is NOT going away.\u201d<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Though some skepticism remained, that statement from Google\u2019s VP quelled most doubts at the time. However, the delayed release of security patch backports, coupled with the lack of source code for Android 16 QPR1, has reignited concerns about the company\u2019s commitment to AOSP. If these delays become the new norm, the custom ROM community will have to adjust its release schedules accordingly. We asked Google whether to expect delays for future releases or if this is a one-time issue, and we\u2019ll update this article when we hear back.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n![\"LineageOS](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/LineageOS-Logo-2-of-3.jpg\"\/ "\\"LineageOS"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Google-denies-discontinuing-AOSP.jpg\"\/ "\\"Google")
<\/p>\n