Android 16

 

Android 16, officially released in June 2025, brings a refined and more intelligent user experience, especially focused on performance, security, multitasking, and real-time interactions. It continues Google’s dessert-naming tradition, internally codenamed “Baklava,” and is currently rolling out to Pixel devices, with other manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Vivo expected to follow in the coming months.

A major highlight of Android 16 is its Live Updates system, which allows real-time tracking of tasks like food delivery, navigation, and ride-hailing directly on the lock screen and notification shade. Notifications are now smarter and more manageable, with auto-grouping for app alerts and a new "Notification Cooldown" feature that reduces the volume and vibration of repetitive alerts to prevent user fatigue. The Quick Settings panel also gets a major overhaul, featuring resizable tiles, grouped sections, dynamic layouts for foldables, and a redesigned brightness slider.

On the security and privacy front, Android 16 introduces an "Advanced Protection Mode" that enables one-tap activation of high-level security settings. This includes hardened memory protection, restricted USB access, and end-to-end encrypted system logging for sensitive use cases. A notable advancement is on-device scam detection, where the Messages app can now identify and warn users about potential fraud in real time, even blocking calls with suspicious behavior. New controls also let users grant apps temporary and more specific access to media files and device features.

Multitasking and productivity take a leap forward with the introduction of a new desktop-style windowing mode, especially optimized for tablets and foldables. This lets users open and freely resize multiple app windows, similar to a traditional PC desktop. Android 16 also improves overall UI responsiveness with the “Material You Expressive” design language—bringing dynamic icons, smoother animations, blur effects, and rich haptics, although some elements will be phased in gradually throughout 2025.

For media lovers and creators, Android 16 supports Ultra HDR, HEIC photo formats, the new APV video codec, and enhanced camera controls like hybrid exposure and low-light performance. Accessibility has also been improved, with native support for LE Audio and Auracast, allowing multiple hearing aids or earbuds to connect simultaneously, as well as new options to increase text contrast for easier reading.

Finally, developers benefit from enhanced APIs for health data (FHIR support via Health Connect), better media pickers with cloud storage integration, and improved multi-device compatibility through adaptive layout enforcement. The platform also introduces support for vertical text rendering (e.g., for East Asian languages), and more advanced Linux terminal features for developers and power users.