Google Cuts AOSP Releases to Twice a Year—Dev Backlash

On January 6, 2026, Google quietly announced it will cut Android Open Source Project (AOSP) source code releases from quarterly—four times per year—to biannual, with drops limited to Q2 and Q4. Custom ROM developers like LineageOS and GrapheneOS now face six-month waits between major releases instead of three. Google claims the change aligns with their “trunk stable” development model and ensures platform stability. The Android developer community isn’t buying it. ## What Changed and Google’s Justification Google reduced AOSP source code releases by 50%, eliminating Q1 and Q3 drops entirely. The company now recommends developers switch from the `aosp-main` branch to `android-latest-release` for building and contributing to AOSP. According to Google’s official announcement, this decision “helps simplify development, eliminates the complexity of managing multiple code branches, and allows them to deliver more stable and secure code to Android platform developers.” The official banner on source.android.com frames the change as beneficial: “Effective in 2026, to align with our trunk-stable development model and ensure platform stability for the ecosystem, we will publish source code to AOSP in Q2 and Q4.” Monthly security patches remain unchanged—Google emphasized they’ll continue publishing security updates on dedicated branches every month. Only major platform releases face delays. ## Impact on Custom ROM Developers Custom ROM projects like LineageOS and GrapheneOS rely on timely AOSP releases to port security patches and features to older devices. LineageOS alone supports over 200 device models. With six-month gaps instead of three, custom ROM users will wait twice as long for major Android updates—the core value proposition that keeps older devices functional years after manufacturers abandon them. However, the delays aren’t theoretical. In late 2025, GrapheneOS developers publicly complained that Google’s September quarterly update hadn’t been pushed to AOSP weeks after its internal rollout, delaying Pixel 10 support. Now those delays are codified as official policy. For millions of users on older devices who rely on custom ROMs for continued updates, this represents a significant degradation in the Android ecosystem’s promise of openness and longevity. ## Developer Backlash: “Killing AOSP” The Android developer community rejected Google’s “stability” narrative almost immediately. Across Hacker News, Slashdot, Reddit, and tech news sites, the response was overwhelmingly negative. Critics are calling this “killing AOSP,” “gutting open source,” and “reducing transparency.” OSnews writer Thom Holwerda captured the mood with a stark assessment: “AOSP is already on life support, and with this latest move Google is firmly gripping the plug.” Moreover, developers point to a historical pattern that undermines Google’s claims of commitment. Early Android (2007-2015) featured continuous, frequent AOSP releases. By 2016-2020, that shifted to quarterly drops. Then, from 2021-2024, Google moved key features to proprietary Google Play Services, bypassing AOSP entirely. Late 2025 saw the removal of Pixel device source code from AOSP and systematic delays in releases. Now, in January 2026, releases are cut in half. Furthermore, the progression is clear: Google has spent a decade progressively restricting AOSP access while maintaining the facade of openness. As one developer noted on Slashdot, “The problems started when Google stopped allowing access to current source and only did quarterly releases, because previously custom ROMs could follow development and release shortly after Google, but now they can start development only when Google releases without knowing anything about the code before.” ## Who Wins, Who Loses Google and major manufacturers benefit from tighter control over Android, fewer external forks to compete with, and simpler internal management. Pixel devices get updates immediately while AOSP-based alternatives wait months. In contrast, custom ROM users, open-source advocates, and independent Android developers lose—slower updates, higher barriers to entry, reduced transparency, and a weakened ecosystem. Consequently, the change raises fundamental questions about Android’s open-source future. Google maintains their “commitment to AOSP is unchanged,” yet their actions tell a different story. When a company cuts public releases in half while claiming dedication to openness, the contradiction is difficult to ignore. For users and developers who valued Android’s open-source nature as a key differentiator from iOS, this represents another step toward proprietary control. ## Key Takeaways – Google cut AOSP releases from quarterly (4x/year) to biannual (2x/year), with code drops limited to Q2 and Q4 starting January 2026. – Custom ROM developers face 6-month waits instead of 3 months for major Android updates, directly impacting LineageOS, GrapheneOS, and 200+ supported devices. – Monthly security patches continue unchanged—the delay affects platform features and major updates, not critical vulnerability fixes. – Developer backlash is fierce, with critics calling it “killing AOSP” and pointing to a decade-long pattern of Google restricting open-source access while claiming commitment. – The change consolidates Google’s control over Android at the expense of custom ROM communities and the open-source ecosystem.