A private affair Google makes Android development private, will continue open source releases Google says this change will simplify things for developers and OEMs. Ryan Whitwam Mar 26, 2025 3:20 pm | 45 Credit: Ryan Whitwam Credit: Ryan Whitwam Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGoogle is planning a major change to the way it develops new versions of the Android operating system. Since the beginning, large swaths of the software have been developed in public-facing channels, but that will no longer be the case. This does not mean Android is shedding its open source roots, but the process won't be as transparent.Google has confirmed to Android Authority that all Android development work going forward will take place in Google's internal branch. This is a shift from the way Google has worked on Android in the past, which featured frequent updates to the public AOSP branch. Anyone can access AOSP, but the internal branches are only available to Google and companies with a Google Mobile Services (GMS) license, like Samsung, Motorola, and others.According to the company, it is making this change to simplify things, building on a recent change to trunk-based development. As Google works on both public and private branches of Android, the two fall out of sync with respect to features and API support. This forces Google to tediously merge the branches for every release. By focusing on the internal branch, Google claims it can streamline releases and make life easier for everyone.When new versions of Android are done, Google says it will continue to publish the source code in AOSP as always. Supposedly, this will allow developers to focus on supporting their apps without keeping track of pending changes to the platform in AOSP. Licensed OEMs, meanwhile, can just focus on the lively internal branch as they work on devices that can take a year or more to launch.This change to private development doesn't come out of the blueAndroid feels less open today than it did in the early days. For example, Google has been moving Android features from AOSP into closed source packages for years. This gives Google greater control over the platform while also making it easier to update core components without a full OS update.Currently, most Android development takes place in the internal branch, but a handful of components, like Bluetooth and the kernel, are developed in the open. They'll be moving to internal under the new system.This change will undoubtedly make development easier for Google's team, but it could limit how much we know about Android before new versions are official. Sometimes, the tidbits that appear in AOSP can point to upcoming devices, feature removals, or changes to app support. We may not get those insights anymore, and consequently, there won't be as many opportunities for devs and users to challenge Google before it rolls out an unpopular change.Even if there are some negative consequences, the average Android phone user probably won't know anything about the structural change. Google will reportedly have more details on the shift to private development later this week, and the change could go into effect as soon as next week.Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 45 Comments