Google has begun the rollout of Android 16, its newest cellular working system on Wednesday, beginning with supported Pixel gadgets. The discharge marks the earliest launch of a significant Android model in recent times, with broader availability for different telephone manufacturers anticipated later in 2025.
The update introduces a redesigned person expertise, laying the groundwork for Google’s new Materials 3 Expressive design. Among the many key adjustments are streamlined notifications, improved accessibility options, enhanced safety choices, and expanded productiveness instruments, notably for tablets and foldable.
What’s new?
Actual-Time Notifications and Smarter Grouping
One of many outstanding options in Android 16 is help for real-time reside updates from suitable apps. Designed to minimise the necessity for customers to repeatedly open functions, this operate will initially work with choose ride-hailing and meals supply apps. Google is collaborating with producers like Samsung, OPPO, and OnePlus to combine the characteristic into their very own notification programs, together with Now Bar and Dwell Alerts.
Moreover, Android 16 introduces computerized grouping of notifications from the identical app, aiming to scale back muddle and enhance readability.
Listening to Support Compatibility Enhancements
The brand new model brings significant enhancements for customers with listening to gadgets. Android 16 now permits people utilizing LE Audio listening to aids to change from the help’s microphone to the telephone’s microphone throughout calls — a change anticipated to enhance readability in noisy environment. The replace additionally introduces native management choices for listening to gadgets, enabling customers to handle settings equivalent to quantity immediately from their telephone.
Upgraded Safety Options
Safety stays a spotlight in Android 16 with the introduction of Superior Safety — Google’s highest degree of cellular safety. The system goals to defend customers from threats equivalent to phishing, malicious apps, unsafe web sites, and rip-off calls. Designed for each high-risk people and on a regular basis customers, the characteristic will be activated via a single faucet in gadget settings.
Enhanced Productiveness for Tablets and Foldables
Google has labored intently with Samsung to implement desktop windowing for Android tablets and foldable devices. This enables customers to open, transfer, and resize a number of app home windows on a single display, mimicking a desktop interface. The characteristic dietary supplements current single-app and split-screen modes and is predicted to be out there later within the 12 months.
Different forthcoming options embrace help for customized keyboard shortcuts and taskbar overflow, designed to enhance multitasking on large-screen gadgets. Android will even start testing exterior show connectivity for tablets and telephones, enabling customers to increase their workspace when required.
Supported Units and How you can Replace
Android 16 is offered instantly for customers of Pixel 6 and newer gadgets, together with the Pixel Tablet and Fold models. The software program can be delivered through over-the-air (OTA) updates. To improve, Pixel customers ought to navigate toSettings > System > Software program replace, and comply with the prompts to put in the most recent model.
