Android 16 available on Pixel smartphones

Google has started rolling out the stable version of Android 16, which is currently only available for Pixel smartphones. The update includes a number of notable changes – from new ways to display notifications to improved security tools and support for additional features for the Android ecosystem.

Key updates in Android 16

• Live Updates: a real-time notification system that allows you to follow events without having to open applications. For example, you can track the approach of a taxi or the status of a food delivery;
• Ultra HDR support for HEIC: photos retain more detail in shadows and highlights, while reducing file size;
• New quick settings panel: items can be scaled – for example, enlarge the Wi-Fi tile to see a list of available networks at a glance;
• Additional features for hearing aids: users can choose which microphone to use during calls;
• Multipoint audio transmission via Bluetooth: now audio can be played simultaneously on multiple connected devices.

More about Android 16

One of the key innovations is live notifications. The system allows you to monitor events in real time, for example, the movement of a courier or a car in a taxi service directly from the notification panel. The data is displayed as a progress bar, which can be expanded by clicking on the icon in the status bar. At the first stage, popular delivery and travel applications will receive support. Google is also working on integrating the function with the proprietary interfaces of Samsung (Now Bar) and OnePlus (Live Alerts).

Android 16 also implements automatic grouping of notifications – now the system combines notifications from one application to avoid overloading the panel.

Special attention has been paid to accessibility. The new version of Android adds full support for hearing aids with LE Audio. During a call, the user can switch between the device’s and phone’s microphones, which is especially convenient in noisy environments. There are also new volume controls right from the phone.

Security has become more centralized: protection against spam, malicious sites, applications and phishing is now combined into one center. All functions can be activated with one click. In addition, new fraud recognition algorithms have been introduced.

The camera has received a number of technical improvements. Android 16 implements automatic detection of night scenes, hybrid autoexposure and advanced color temperature settings. Support for UltraHDR and HEIC encoding makes pictures more detailed with a smaller file size. There is also integration with Advanced Professional Video – a function designed for more demanding shooting.

For tablets and foldables, testing of windowed mode begins, which allows you to run applications in separate windows. This feature is currently only available in the Android 16 QPR3 beta.

The Android ecosystem has also been affected by the updates. In RCS group chats, you can set your own icons and disable notifications for individual topics. An AI editor has appeared in Google Photos, which offers automatic image improvements – from removing objects to generatively changing individual elements. Gboard now supports creating stickers based on text descriptions, and Emoji Kitchen has been replenished with new emoji combinations.

On watches running Wear OS, you can now pay for transportation without a separate application, and the Recorder application has received support for AI summaries in French and German. In Australia, the ability to connect to a satellite via Emergency SOS from Android has become available.

The Material 3 Expressive interface, introduced earlier, has not been included in the stable version. Its appearance is expected later this year. Google has not yet given specific dates, but advises developers to prepare for the transition.

Along with Android 16, the company also released the June Pixel Drop update package. Among the applications is the Pixel VIPs widget, which shows activity for selected contacts: messages, calls, calendar events. Automatic subtitles for videos, including from TikTok, have also been improved.

The firmware is being distributed in stages. Pixel owners will receive an OTA update in the coming days. System images and update packages have already been posted on the Google developer page.