diff --git a/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md b/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
index 38981aed1..7ab0de901 100644
--- a/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
+++ b/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the necessary dependency to the app-level `build.gradle.kts` file:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Google Maps Utility Library
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index b0e7275ba..ed041bece 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-    ".": "6.1.0"
+    ".": "7.0.0"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9c1e4e7be..da90bc81a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [7.0.0](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/compare/v6.1.0...v7.0.0) (2026-10-28)
+
+
+### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES
+
+* the minimum supported Android API level is now 24.
+
+### Features
+
+* **clustering:** add SuperClusterAlgorithm for mega-scale marker clustering and configurable badge formatting ([#1799](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/issues/1799)) ([65c222c](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/commit/65c222c4b23f7a0437515bed120bb4671111ef71))
+* raise minSdk to 24 and update Maps SDK to 20.1.0 ([#1829](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/issues/1829)) ([729bcb9](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/commit/729bcb99e124b29944496bfefc04e479516ea552))
+
 ## [6.1.0](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/compare/v6.0.0...v6.1.0) (2026-10-21)
 
 
diff --git a/MIGRATION.md b/MIGRATION.md
index 83db5fb22..5493c6f43 100644
--- a/MIGRATION.md
+++ b/MIGRATION.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ If your project uses all utilities, you can import the aggregator artifact direc
 ```toml
 # gradle/libs.versions.toml
 [versions]
-androidMapsUtils = "6.1.0" # x-release-please-version
+androidMapsUtils = "7.0.0" # x-release-please-version
 
 [libraries]
 android-maps-utils = { group = "com.google.maps.android", name = "android-maps-utils", version.ref = "androidMapsUtils" }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48480f816..ea8bf1e33 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ upgrading from 4.x, see the [migration guide](MIGRATION.md).
 dependencies {
     // Utilities and consolidated Kotlin Extensions for Maps SDK for Android
     // The aggregator artifact transitively pulls in all submodules below.
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
@@ -59,15 +59,15 @@ Alternatively, depend only on the submodules your app needs:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Base utilities: PolyUtil, SphericalUtil, collection managers, Street View metadata
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-core:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-core:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Marker clustering
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-clustering:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-clustering:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
     // KML and GeoJSON import
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-data:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-data:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Heatmaps
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-heatmaps:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-heatmaps:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Marker icons and animation
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-ui:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-ui:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index ba6597bc0..833766952 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ tasks.register<Exec>("installAndLaunch") {
 allprojects {
     group = "com.google.maps.android"
     // {x-release-please-start-version}
-    version = "6.1.0"
+    version = "7.0.0"
     // {x-release-please-end}
 
     plugins.withId("java") {
diff --git a/llm-integration-prompt.md b/llm-integration-prompt.md
index 176e85a23..08423bc2d 100644
--- a/llm-integration-prompt.md
+++ b/llm-integration-prompt.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the necessary dependency to the app-level `build.gradle.kts` file:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Google Maps Utility Library
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:6.1.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:7.0.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 
 ```