Google has surprisingly released the first developer preview of Android 16. This confirms that future Android versions will be available more quickly.
The move comes just weeks after the release of Android 15 on Pixel devices, while many smartphone users from other manufacturers are still waiting for this update.
As the company announced in a blog post, the first so-called developer preview of Android 16 is primarily aimed at developers so that they can adapt their apps to the new interfaces at an early stage. Nevertheless, the preview already gives an insight into some new features that users can look forward to.
What does Android 16 offer?
New features for greater user-friendliness
A significant innovation is the embedded photo picker , which allows you to select photos directly in apps without opening a separate window. This not only improves usability, but also user privacy, as access to individual photos can be restricted.
Another feature is the support of medical data in FHIR format . With the Health Connect app, users can read and write medical data, provided they give their consent. The function is similar to the “Apple Health” app on iPhones and could open up new possibilities for health apps.
Google is also working on improving privacy and could introduce a long-awaited audio sharing feature with Android 16. This would allow the sound from one device to be distributed to multiple Bluetooth headsets – practical for listening to music or watching films together on the go.
In addition, the notification system is being revised: With the new “Notification Cooldown” function, notifications are to be collected and displayed at intervals so as not to overwhelm users with a flood of messages.
When will Android 16 be released?
With the first developer preview, Google also presented a roadmap for the further development of Android 16. According to this, there will be a second developer preview in December 2024, followed by four public beta versions starting in January 2025.
The final version should be released in May or June at the latest – in line with the annual Google I/O developer conference. Up until now, major Android versions were regularly only released in the fall. The new schedule should better match the release rhythm of the device manufacturers, especially Google’s own Pixel smartphone series.
Interested developers can now download and test the preview versions. Regular users should refrain from installing them, as the software may still be unstable and is not optimized for daily use.
Explanatory video (in English):
Video: YouTube/Android Developers
Sources
- android-developers.googleblog.com: ” The First Developer Preview of Android 16 ” (English)
- developer.android.com: Android 16 Developer Preview
