Google releases Android 16 Beta 1 for Pixel

 Google rolling out Android 16 Beta 1 for Pixel : New features

Google has started rolling out the first beta version of the Android 16 operating system to compatible Pixel devices. After multiple developer previews, the first beta of the next major Android version brings several notable changes such as improved compatibility of apps on large-screen devices like foldables and tablets, live notifications, new camera features for third-party apps and more. The first beta of the next major version of Google’s mobile OS is launching with Android 16 Beta 1 rolling out to Pixel devices. This release is now available. Android 16 brings improved app compatibility for foldables, new "Live Updates" notifications, camera updates and more to compatible Google Pixel devices. Android 16 Beta 1 is the “initial beta-quality release” and the first this cycle to be available as an over-the-air update for those enrolled in the Android Beta Program.

What's new in Android 16 Beta 1?

 Android 16 introduces Live Updates as a “new class of notifications which help users monitor and quickly access important on going activities,” like ride sharing, food delivery and navigation. The new Progress Style notification template provides a consistent user experience for Live Updates, helping you build for these progress-centric user journeys: rideshare, delivery and navigation. It includes support for custom icons for the start, end and current progress tracking, segments and points for user journey states, milestones and more. Beyond features introduced in the Android 16 Developer Previews such as Audio sharing on Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) compatible devices, Screen-off fingerprint access, Notification cool down and new Health Connect features, the first beta introduces the following changes:-

 Android adaptive apps:- With Android 16 beta 1, Google is phasing out the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens. This means that users with large-screen devices such as tablets and book-style foldables will be able to run apps at any window size and aspect ratio.

Live Updates:- With Android 16 beta, Google has introduced "Live Updates" notifications, which will allow users to monitor on going activities such as food deliveries, ride completion and more.

APV video codec:- Android 16 introduces support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, which is designed to be used for professional high-quality video recording and post-production. APV codec enables lossless video quality, support for a high bit-rate range for up to 8K resolution content, support for HDR10/10+ and user-defined metadata.

Camera night mode scene detection:- This new Application Programming Interface (API) will allow third-party camera apps to know when to switch to and from a night mode.

Other:- Beyond these updates, the first beta of Android 16 introduces new system icons, a few UI enhancements, bug fixes and performance improvements.

Meanwhile, Google is “phasing out the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens,” or letterboxing. This only applies to apps and not games. On screens larger than 600dp wide, apps that target API level 36 will have app windows that resize; you should check your apps to ensure your existing UIs scale seamlessly, working well across portrait and landscape aspect ratios. 

Android 16 (2025): Changes apply to large screens (600dp in width) for apps targeting API level 36 (developers can opt-out).

Android release in 2026: Changes apply to large screens for apps targeting API level 37 (no opt-out). 

Android 16 adds support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, specifically the APV 422-10 Profile (YUV 422 colour sampling along with 10-bit encoding and for target bitrates of up to 2Gbps). Meant for high-quality video recording and post production, the standard allows for:-

Support for high bit-rate range up to a few Gbps for 2K, 4K and 8K resolution content, enabled by a lightweight entropy coding scheme

Low complexity and high throughput intra-frame-only coding (without pixel domain prediction) to better support editing workflows

Support for various chroma sampling formats and bit-depths

Frame tiling for immersive content and for enabling parallel encoding and decoding

Support for HDR10/10+ and user-defined metadata

Support for multiple decoding and re-encoding without severe visual quality degradation

Support multi-view video and auxiliary video like depth, alpha, and preview

Generic Ranging APIs (RangingManager) will use BLE channel sounding, BLE RSSI-based ranging, Ultra-Wideband, and WiFi round trip time to “determine the distance and angle on supported hardware between the local device and a remote device.”

Google is continuing to encourage predictive back adoption by enabling it by default for apps that target / run on Android 16, while 3-button navigation is now supported. When you long-press the back button, a predictive back animation / preview is initiated. This behaviour applies across all areas of the system which support predictive back animations, including the system animations (back-to-home, cross-task, and cross-activity).

Other notable additions include:-

To help your app know when to switch to and from a night mode camera session, Android 16 adds EXTENSION_NIGHT_MODE_INDICATOR.

Android 16 adds low-level support for rendering and measuring text vertically to provide foundational vertical writing support for library developers.

Android 16 adds set Field Required to Accessibility Node Info so apps can tell an accessibility service that input to a form field is required.

Samsung just launched new Gemini Extensions on the S25 series, demonstrating new ways Android apps can integrate with the power of Gemini. We’re working to make this functionality available to more apps with more OEMs on more devices across more form factors.

If you are currently on Android 16 Developer Preview 2 or are already in the Android Beta program, you will be offered an over-the-air update to Beta 1. 

If you are in the Android 15 QPR2 Beta and would like to get the final stable release of QPR2 and exit the Beta program, you need to ignore the over-the-air update to Android 16 Beta 1 and wait for the release of QPR2.

Android 16 Beta 1 (BP22.250103.008) system images with the January 2025 security patch are available for the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel Pro Fold, as well as the Android Emulator with final Release around April-May (likely). 

Eligible devices

Android 16 beta 1 is available on select Google Pixel devices enrolled in the Android Beta for Pixel program. Google said that enrolled devices will receive regular over-the-air (OTA) updates for the duration of the platform's release cycle, unless the user decides to opt out. Following is the list of supported devices:-

Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Pixel 6a

Pixel 7 and 7 Pro

Pixel 7a

Pixel Fold

Pixel Tablet

Pixel 8 and 8 Pro

Pixel 8a

Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold

Android 16: Release timeline

Android 16 Developer Preview 1: November 2024 (Released)

Android 16 Developer Preview 1: December 2024 (Released)

Android 16 Beta 1: January 2025 (Released)

Android 16 Beta 2: February 2025

Android 16 Beta 3: March 2025

Android 16 Beta 4: April 2025