UPDATE 2025-12-24

Updated all Android 16 builds to include performance improvements.

ORIGINAL 2025-12-22

The Android 16 release has been a peculiar one.

Google usually releases the source code of the latest version of its mobile operation system to the Android Open-Source Project (AOSP) repositories : this process is what allows the custom ROM community to provide alternative builds, with modification and enhancements not found in Google's stock offering.

Following the release of Android 16, we no longer have the source code being developed in the open, directly in AOSP, as progress is being made.

Instead progress is now made in private, and dropped to AOSP afterwards ; check out this article to learn more on the subject.

As a consequence of this change, Android 16 QPR1 source code has not been available in AOSP repositories until November 2025, while it was officially present within the Pixel 10 lineup, Google's own commercial line of smartphones, at the end of August 2025.

Three months after release, the big Material 3 Expressive redesign of Android 16 could not be included in custom ROM builds as the sources of this major overhaul has been kept private that long.

Will this kind of situation become a trend, a new norm resulting from Android Open-Source Project new development and release model ?

Only time will tell, and we are starting to see some improvements to make up for the delay.

First of all, Android 16 QPR1 sources are now being integrated into Evolution X code base.

Given the substantial impact, I am still preparing for its official release : to make sure issues are identified and fixed, I am now providing test builds for users willing to help with this process :

Pixel 4a Android 16 QPR1 test build :

• Evolution X 11.5.1 for Pixel 4a test build,
• Corresponding Pixel 4a boot image.

Pixel 4a 5G Android 16 QPR1 test build :

• Evolution X 11.5 for Pixel 4a 5G test build,
• Corresponding Pixel 4a 5G boot sector image,
• Corresponding Pixel 4a 5G dtbo sector image,
• Corresponding Pixel 4a 5G vendor_boot sector image.

Pixel 5 Android 16 QPR1 test build :

• Evolution X 11.5 for Pixel 5 test build,
• Corresponding Pixel 5 boot sector image,
• Corresponding Pixel 5 dtbo sector image,
• Corresponding Pixel 5 vendor_boot sector image,

Future unofficial builds may be delivered for testing purpqoses, join Evolution X official chat on Discord to stay in touch (in my dedicated "Google Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G & Pixel 5" channel).

This one was dropped in December, quickly following the QPR1 code drop a month earlier ; check out AOSP release timeline and Android version history to learn more.

Fingers crossed the outstanding QPR1 release schedule does not become a trend.