February 16, 2026

Google Cloud release notes summarizing updates from February 25–27, 2026 across GKE, Gemini, BigQuery, Cortex Framework, and other services.

• •GKE 2026-R8 updates across Rapid, Regular, Stable, and Extended channels; version 1.34.3-gke.1318000 is the new default for most channels
• •Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (gemini-3.1-flash-image) is now available in public preview with improved pricing and latency
• •BigQuery will restrict legacy SQL usage after June 1, 2026, based on whether it was used between November 2025 and June 2026
• •Cortex Framework 6.3.4 adds Airflow v3 support, SAP CDC custom table fixes, and Meta API upgrade from v21 to v25
• •Cloud Trace now supports configurable default settings (location, Cloud KMS key) for observability buckets in public preview