The first public beta of the Android 16 operating system has been released: what's new

Google has started public beta testing of the Android 16 mobile operating system. Owners of compatible devices can now download the new version and try out its new features.

The first beta of Android 16 was released on January 23, 2025. According to insiders, Google plans to release about 6 more beta versions over the next six months, and then begin a full-scale deployment of the operating system.

Android 16 release schedule:

• November-December 2024 — first beta versions of Android 16;
• January-March 2025 — public beta testing;
• March-June 2025 — stable pre-release builds of Android 16;
• Second half of 2025 — official release of Android 16.

Key innovations in Android 16

Android 16 is a minor update to the operating system that does not contain significant changes, although new features may vary depending on the manufacturer and device firmware.

Here are the main innovations for the «clean» Android 16 on Google Pixel devices:

• Audio Sharing: Ability to stream music to multiple Bluetooth speakers at once;
• Autofill in Health Connect: Third-party apps can now automatically add user health and activity records to the Health Connect app;
• Live Updates: A new type of notification that shows the status of real-time events, similar to the Live Activities feature on iOS. With this feature, users can track taxi arrivals, sports scores, timer countdowns, and more on the lock screen;
• Gesture “Back”: When you long press the «Back» Android will show the previous page as a preview;
• Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec support: Samsung-developed codec for recording and processing high-resolution video;
• Forced scaling: Android can now automatically scale app windows on large screens, including tablets and foldable smartphones, for apps that don't support landscape orientation;
• Night mode for third-party apps: Third-party developers will now be able to add night shooting support thanks to a new API, which was previously only available in the stock app «Camera».

Android 16 compatible devices

The first public beta of Android 16 is compatible with the following devices: Google Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold.

How to install the Android 16 beta

To participate in the public testing, you must register for the Android Beta Testing Program. After installing the beta version of Android, you will only be able to roll back to the stable version after the final release of Android 16 without the need to reset your data.