Android has seen many transformations over the past five years – both externally and internally. However, Google’s main focus has always been on prioritizing security measures and artificial intelligence over interface design. Last month, Google held a special event for Android, revealing Material 3 Expressive under Android 16. Now, the company is rolling out Android 16 for eligible Pixel devices. Let’s find out what all new will be seen in this new update.
New features of Android 16
We have covered all the features in depth in our detailed Android 16 features guide, but here is a brief overview of some of the key points.
The biggest feature of Android 16 is the introduction of progress-oriented notifications. The feature is inspired by iOS’s Live Activities-like system and works like versions already adopted by many Android manufacturers.
The basic idea behind this feature is that apps whose user experience is based on real-time updates – such as food delivery, cab booking, or navigation apps – can now show users at a glance how far a task has come. For example, apps like Zomato or Swiggy can show where food is, what the status of an Uber ride is, or how Google Maps real-time navigation is updating.
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Adaptive refresh rate gets platform level support
Android 16 now adds built-in support for Adaptive Refresh Rate (ARR). Although this technology is already present in many smartphones, it was not officially supported at the system-level until now. In the new update, Google has integrated the Adaptive Refresh Rate API with the platform, so that now app developers can use these APIs. This will also give smooth and stable performance to those apps which were not previously optimized according to the refresh rate.
Photo search experience is now even better
Ever since the new photo picker and cloud integration came to Android, an important feature was being missed – the ability to search your photos directly from cloud storage apps. Android 16 now fills this gap. Users will now be able to search photos saved on cloud services like Google Photos with the help of keywords. This has made it easier than ever to quickly search and share the desired photo in any app.
Great changes in Android 16: From predictive back gesture to new security features
In the latest update of Android 16, users will get a more refined and smarter predictive back gesture experience. Now this feature is available not only in gesture navigation but also in the traditional three-button navigation system. The new animations now look smoother and more evolved than before, making the user interface feel more natural than ever.
This time Android 16 also looks very strong in the field of privacy and security. The new update brings features like privacy sandbox, local network access permission, which gives users more control over their data. The camera API has also got a major improvement – now it includes features like hybrid auto-exposure, color temperature and tint control, night mode detection, ultra HDR.
Apart from this, Google has made Factory Reset Protection (FRP) even stronger in Android 16. Now if a device is stolen, thieves will not be able to easily restore or bypass it, as it will be impossible to get past the Google sign-in screen.
Overall, Android 16 not only fixes the bugs of previous versions but also comes with new APIs and features to provide a seamless and secure experience.
However, this update does not include the new expressive version of Google’s Material 3 You design. According to Google, this update will be included in Pixel devices “later this year” – possibly through a future feature drop.
Android 16: Which Pixel phones will get the new update
Android 16 update will first be available on select Pixel devices. Recently, Google has extended the software support of Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series for two more years, due to which these older models are also in the race for this update.
List of Pixel phones getting Android 16:
- Pixel 9 / 9 Pro / 9 Pro XL / 9a
- Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- Pixel 8 / 8 Pro / 8a
- Pixel 7 / 7 Pro / 7a
- Pixel 6 / 6 Pro / 6a
Apart from this, Android 16 will also soon be available on many smartphones from companies like Samsung, OnePlus and Nothing. Given Google’s partnership with various OEM brands, it is expected that by the end of June or early July, this update will come to devices like Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13 / 13T and Nothing Phone 3a.
However, the full rollout of Android 16 for other brands may take some extra time.
What is your opinion?
What do you think about Android 16? And what new features are you expecting in Android 17? Do let us know by commenting below.
