Jordan Bevan
Google has officially begun the rollout of Android 16, starting June 10, 2025, on supported Pixel devices, with broader availability on flagship models from Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola, and others to follow. The release introduces a comprehensive set of improvements spanning performance, visual design, accessibility, security, and developer tools.
Developer-Focused Features & SDK Changes
The update ushers in Android 16’s AOSP source code, paving the way for the ecosystem to fully embrace the new APIs. Notably, Google’s introduction of minor SDKs alongside the main release enables faster iteration—with the next planned release in Q4 2025 focused on refinements and optimizations.
Enhanced Camera and Media APIs
Professionals shooting on Android gain access to:
- Night-mode scene detection and hybrid auto-exposure
- Precise color temperature control
- Advanced formats like UltraHDR (HEIC) and the APV codec for higher fidelity video capable of handling multiple encoding cycles
The photo picker is now embeddable and supports cloud photo search, improving UI flexibility and performance.
UI Polishing & Material 3 Expressive
Android 16 introduces polish previews of Material 3 Expressive—including updated animations and dynamic theming—with full visual enhancements slated for later in the year. Apps can no longer opt out of edge-to-edge display or ignore elegant text-height settings, ensuring consistent layout across scripts. Developers should adapt for devices with widths ≥600 dp, as orientation and aspect limitations vanish for larger screens.
Smarter Notifications & Predictive Navigation
Android 16 debuts Live Updates, offering persistent, real-time status—such as delivery progress or ride sharing—directly in notifications and lock screens, paralleling iOS-style Live Activities.
Additional UI refinements include grouped notifications, predictive back navigation preview, and new system-generated animations for smoother transitions.
Accessibility & Audio Improvements
Android 16 enhances assistive features: outline text replaces high-contrast text, LE Audio hearing aid support enables switching to the phone mic during calls, and ambient volume control of hearing devices is introduced.
Security and Privacy Strengthened
New protections include:
- Advanced Protection mode for high-risk users
- Identity Check via biometrics
- Incoming Intent redirection safeguards
- Privacy Sandbox enhancements
- Companion-device pairing protections
- Future support for local network permissions
Performance and Efficiency
Android 16 brings new profiling tools (ProfilingManager), adaptive refresh rate support, 16 KB page-size compatibility, and API support to query CPU/GPU headroom—all aimed at elevating app responsiveness.
Desktop Windowing & Multitasking
Previewed in beta, the new desktop windowing mode allows movable, resizable app windows on tablets and connected displays. Samsung is collaborating on this, with general rollout expected later in the year.
Battery, Devices, Pixel Drop Update
In tandem with the Android 16 release, the June Pixel Drop enhances Pixel devices with camera, biometrics, Bluetooth, and telephony fixes, and adds new features such as Pixel VIPs widget, Gboard AI stickers, accessibility search in Magnifier, and expanded Satellite SOS support.
📱 What Developers and Marketers Need to Know
- App Adaptability: Ensure your UI scales fluidly across large screens; test edge-to-edge layouts and new navigation behaviors.
- Media & Camera: Integrate UltraHDR or APV support to leverage professional camera capabilities.
- Notifications & Live Updates: Implement
Notification.ProgressStyleto support Live Updates and improve user engagement. - Accessibility Compliance: Update vector and text assets to support outline text and hearing aid mic toggles.
- Security Updates: Reinforce Intent-handling and privacy flows to align with tightened protections.
- Profiling & Optimization: Use new system profiling APIs and headroom metrics to tune performance.
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