For years, Android’s development process has involved public and private branches, with some aspects being openly accessible through the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). However, Google is now changing that, and going forward, all Android development will now take place within Google’s internal branches, effectively ending real-time public visibility into the growth of the platform.
This change, which Google confirmed to Android Authority, does not mean that Android is abandoning open-source principles entirely. The company will still release source code to AOSP once updates are finalized, but developers, manufacturers, and the public will no longer have access to in-progress changes. This move aligns with Google’s broader efforts to consolidate its control over Android, a shift that has been occurring gradually over the past few years.
Historically, Google has maintained two branches of Android development: one internal and another public through AOSP. While the internal branch has always been the primary source of development, Google still made some components of the OS available in AOSP, allowing developers, manufacturers, and tech analysts to track new features before they were officially announced. Now, Google has decided to move all development behind closed doors, which means that updates and new features will only become visible when they are officially released. The company argues that this shift will simplify development, reduce the complexity of maintaining multiple branches, and streamline the update process.
For app developers, the direct impact of this change may not be immediately noticeable. Google has stated that finalized versions of Android will still be published in AOSP, allowing developers to access the necessary source code for their work. However, the loss of real-time updates means that developers will no longer be able to anticipate major system changes, new APIs, or compatibility adjustments ahead of time. Prior to this, developers had the ability to monitor AOSP commits and adapt their applications accordingly, sometimes months in advance of an official release. With this transparency now removed, they may need to wait for official announcements or rely on Google’s official developer documentation for updates. This could pose challenges for those who build software that relies on deep system integration, as they will have less time to prepare for Android updates.
Meanwhile, manufacturers such as Samsung, Motorola, and other companies with a Google Mobile Services (GMS) license will still have access to Google’s internal development branches, allowing them to work on Android updates for their devices ahead of public releases. For smaller OEMs and developers who previously relied on AOSP as a source of information, this shift could make Android development more opaque and potentially more challenging.
This development is hardly unexpected, given that in recent years, Google has been migrating more and more Android features away from AOSP and into proprietary, closed-source components. This has given the company greater control over the operating system while also limiting the ability of third parties to modify or contribute to the platform. Many of Android’s core functionalities, including Google Play Services, security updates, and several essential apps, are now managed entirely within Google’s ecosystem, separate from AOSP.
