Google is releasing Android 16, the latest major update to the mobile and embedded operating system. As always, the rollout begins with Pixel devices.

Google begins rolling out Android 16

Completed to its expected timeline, the major release marks the availability of the source code at the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). You can examine this code at cs.android.com.

Android 16 timeline

Edge-to-edge
Highlight features include progress-centric notifications, the latest performance updates to the Android Runtime (ART), improved security against Intent redirection attacks, JobScheduler updates, the use of outline text, and further support for accessibility around hearing devices.

Additionally, there are “Material 3 Expressive” style changes to app appearances. For example, apps targeting Android 16 can no longer opt-out of going edge-to-edge, or ignore the elegantTextHeight attribute for (non-Latin) text.

In terms of windowing modes, there are changes to how the system manages orientation, re-sizeability, and aspect ratio restrictions.

There’s also support for more professional camera users. For example, allowing for night mode scene detection, hybrid auto exposure, and precise color temperature adjustments.

Finally, the latest Android extends predictive back navigation to three-button navigation, meaning that users long-pressing the back button will see a glimpse of the previous screen before navigating back.

Android 16
Matthew McCullough, Google’s VP of Product Management, Android Developer, writes:

“Your Pixel device should get Android 16 shortly if you haven’t already been on the Android Beta. If you don’t have a Pixel device, you can use the 64-bit system images with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. If you are currently on Android 16 Beta 4.1 and have not yet taken an Android 16 QPR1 beta, you can opt out of the program and you will then be offered the release version of [it] over the air.”

Note that Google plans to have another release in Q4 of 2025, which also will include new developer APIs. This latest major release, however, will be the only release in 2025 to include planned app-impacting behavior changes.

Looking ahead
A minor release will appear in Q4, pick up feature updates, optimisations, and bug fixes, says Google.

Given the glacial pace of Android version updates to non-Pixel devices, do not expect to see Android 16 appearing on a phone near you shortly.

More likely, you will see new devices running Android 16 in the coming months.