Diehard Android fans always look forward to getting the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, and this year’s release looks to be no different. Android 16 will surely come pre-loaded on the upcoming phones due at the tail end of 2025, and launched as a free update to existing phones – but when, exactly? And what new features should we expect?
In this guide, I run through all the best and most exciting changes headed to Android 16, and when your phone is likely to get them.
Android 16: name
Long-time Android fans will fondly remember Google’s sweet tooth regarding official OS names. Android’s early days were all about Cupcake, Donut, Eclair and Froyo, and lasted all the way to Android Pie in 2018. The firm now sticks with straightforward version numbers, although its engineers still pay homage to desserts with their internal OS codenames.
Android 16 is known to the public by its no-nonsense numeric moniker, but inside Mountain View it has the codename “Baklava”. That’s a departure from the alphabetical order used up to now: Android 15 was known as Vanilla Ice Cream, so we could’ve had Whoopie Pie, Waffle, or even Wedding Cake here.
The change also reflects how Google has dialled back major upgrades and visual overhauls between versions, and is instead focusing on streamlining Android’s user experience. That’s reflected in the number of features revealed for Android 16 so far.
Release date and supported phones
Google unleashed the first Android 16 developer preview on the 19th of November 2024, but it was very much aimed only at coders and app creators. The first beta was a little more accessible, dropping on the 23rd of January 2025. At the time of writing we’re currently up to beta three, with version four expected some time in April.
Be warned though — betas are notoriously unstable and riddled with bugs, so I’d recommend using a spare handset if possible, or at least being aware of the risks and annoyances that can crop up. Currently only Pixel devices are supported.
That probably means the finished version of Android 16 will be shown off at Google’s I/O conference in May, with a release date hopefully not too far behind. Android 15 didn’t actually debut until October 2024, but Google is likely wanting to avoid a repeat of last year when its new Pixel phone generation released on the previous version.
Pixel phones will almost certainly be first in line for the update, while the rest of the phone-wielding populace will have to wait for their device manufacturers to finish slathering their own unique UI skins atop Android 16. Firms such as OnePlus, Nothing and Xiaomi have proven speedy at this in the past, with Samsung, Motorola and others usually taking more time.
Once brands make their timelines official, I’ll update this article with the details.
Expected Android 16 features
Google likes to test features in its developer previews and not actually roll them out in the final, finished versions of its latest Android edition, so the new functionality listed below isn’t guaranteed to stick around once Android 16 goes gold. Still, here’s what will hopefully make the cut:
- Embedded photo picker: Constantly updating your Tinder profile pic? Android’s built-in photo picker is about to get a lot more useful. Originally meant to crack down on third-party apps getting access to your entire media library, the OG photo picker hasn’t been widely adopted. In Android 16, it’ll feel more integrated within your apps – and put Google Photos in easier reach, to make finding that one holiday snap where you’re looking particularly fine much easier.
- Live updates: Partly a way of making time-sensitive app notifications more useful, and partly a way of keeping up with the iPhone’s Live Activities function, Live Updates will let Android 16 keep certain notifications in place for glanceable updates. I’m picturing Google Maps navigation being permanently expanded in the notification panel, or my Just Eat order progress shown on the lock screen until my burgers are safely at my door. A small chip in the top-left corner of the screen lets you quickly access the full notification from anywhere, too. No word yet on whether Google will let manufacturers move this to the punch-hole camera, like Apple’s Dynamic Island.
- Camera changes: While different phone makers will continue doing their own thing on the photography front in Android 16, it’ll open up a few back-end APIs for things like precise colour temperature adjustment (letting you set a specific Kelvin value for a warmer or cooler look) and night-mode scene detection. This’ll let third-party apps engage a phone’s night mode (if it has one) in low-light scenes – think snapping within Instagram rather than jumping into the camera app just because the sun has set. Hybrid auto-exposure will let you control ISO values or exposure time while the camera’s algorithms handle everything else, and Google’s UltraHDR format will support the more efficient HEIC file type. Higher quality Advanced Professional Video (APV) recording will also be supported for the first time.
- Medical records: The Health Connect app isn’t quite a one-stop shop for all your vital signs just yet, but it could be in Android 16. It’s gaining the ability to let apps read and write medical records in the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) format, a standard used by lots of electronic health systems.
- Privacy sandbox: Google is keeping quiet on exactly what parts of the Privacy Sandbox will be tweaked for Android 16, likely to keep bad apples from pre-planning ways to exploit it and get access to your personal data. Suffice to say, it’ll do a better job than Android 15.
There are plenty more upgrades and additions on the way as well. Haptic feedback should be a lot more customisable, which could give game developers the ability to mimic a console controller’s vibration; adaptive refresh rates will be easier to implement than before, so more apps should feel smoother when scrolling; and the predictive back gesture should feel a little more responsive as the phone gets better at working out what your swipes are trying to do.
