It seems like the race to get Android 16 onto non-Pixel phones is going a bit slower than some of us hoped. While Google pushed out Android 16 for Pixel devices back in June, and Samsung even launched their new foldable phones with stable One UI 8 (based on Android 16) in July, other manufacturers are taking their time.

Initially, there was a buzz that companies like OPPO, OnePlus, vivo, and Xiaomi might actually beat Samsung to the punch in releasing stable Android 16 updates. After all, they've been running developer betas on some of their flagship devices. However, a recent leak suggests we might have to wait a bit longer. Word on the street is that these OEMs are planning to announce their Android 16-based platform updates sometime around October.

While announcements might pop up in September, most folks probably won't see the actual stable updates on their devices until October or later. These companies still need to ramp up their beta programs to include more devices. It's worth noting that some OEMs have teased their Android 16 updates in China, but we're all waiting for the global announcements.

What's interesting is that Samsung is gearing up to roll out stable One UI 8 to more devices beyond just the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 as soon as September. They've even started beta programs for older flagships and mid-range phones. It seems they're on track to deliver on their promise. If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Samsung being the first.

In general, the whole Android 16 rollout outside of Pixel phones has been a bit underwhelming. Even though Google released Android 16 earlier than expected, very few non-Pixel devices have the beta version, and even fewer have the stable version. Apple's iOS rollout is still the benchmark for mobile OS updates, and Android still has a long way to go to catch up. It's a bit of a shame, really. When it comes to updates, Android needs to pick up the pace.