Android 16 Beta 1 Is Live! Here’s What’s New!
The moment of truth has arrived for Android fans, as the highly-anticipated new version of the operating system is now available for preview. Following a lengthy period of buildup and speculation, Android 16 Beta 1 is ready to be explored. In this article we’re going to take a quick look at some new highlights.
How to Install
On Pixel devices, Android 16 Beta 1 is now live. You can either enroll in the beta here, or download the image to flash in recovery here. For instructions on flashing that image, check out my video.
What’s New?
Image via Google
New Gemini Extensions Soon?
With the Galaxy S25, Gemini now has the ability to take actions within several Samsung applications. Mishaal Rahman at Android Police wrote that Google’s statement that they are working to make Samsung’s new Gemini Extensions “available to more apps with more OEMs on more devices across more form factors” might mean that Google’s new app function API could allow Gemini to do similar work inside many more apps. Very interesting stuff.
Resizing Apps
Many Android apps aren't designed to take full advantage of large screen devices, which can result in a less-than-ideal user experience. While these apps can still run on tablets and other large screen devices, they might appear distorted due to restrictions set by the developers. Fortunately, Android 16 is addressing this issue by phasing out the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens, allowing users to run apps at any window size and aspect ratio they prefer. This should be a major win for large screen phone users like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Live Alerts on OnePlus Open
Now, apps will be able to resize on large screen devices, even if their developers have restricted it. One downside of this is that lazy app developers may suddenly find that their app resizes on large devices and this might break UI elements. I’m looking at you, Wyze..
Live Updates
Android 16 also introduces Live Updates, a new type of notification for ongoing activities like navigation, food delivery and more. If you’ve seen something like OnePlus’s Live Alerts, this will be very similar. The biggest difference is that these notifications are displayed prominently on the lock screen to ensure they don't get lost among other notifications. I guess I might have to disable that setting that automatically dismisses my lockscreen when it sees my face… Unlike offerings from the likes of OnePlus, this should fully support third-party app notifications which should make it much more useful.
Advanced Professional Video Codec
Android 16 will introduce enhanced media capabilities, enabling seamless playback, creation, and editing of high-quality content. This update also includes support for the Advanced Professional Video codec, ideal for professional-grade video recording and post-production. Additionally, a new API will be available to help third-party apps optimize camera performance in low-light conditions, resulting in improved photo quality.
Predictive Back Animations
We have yet another in the long line of updates to the predictive back gesture saga. Android 15 enabled predictive back in system animations, but not for apps. In Android 16, the predictive back system animations are now enabled by default for apps that target the new release. They are also rolling out the predictive back animation for users of the 3-button layout. If you long press the back button, you’ll see the same new animations.
When is The Full Release?
Android 16 is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2025, although the exact release date has not been confirmed.