Android 16’s first public beta is out

Following a pair of developer betas, Google has officially begun seeding Android 16’s first public beta. The new release should be available as an OTA update for Google Pixel devices (Pixel 6 and up) enrolled in the Android Beta Program.

Adaptive apps are one of the headlining features of the Android 16 public beta. Google will ensure apps scale and behave properly regardless of your phone’s screen size, orientation or form factor.

As per Google’s press release, apps targeting API level 36 will be required to support resizable windows on screens with 600dp width or larger. Developers will be restricted from locking specific app window scaling and orientation. This feature should allow for better app layouts on foldable devices.

Live updates are Google’s take on Apple’s Live Activities introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro series. These are dynamic notifications for ongoing activities like navigation, ride-hailing, and food delivery. Google has implemented a Progress Style notification template with customizable icons, progress tracking milestones and journey states. Samsung implemented a similar approach with its Now Bar in One UI 7.

The new Android 16 beta brings native support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec for “professional level high-quality video recording and post-production,” supporting up to 8K resolution at 2Gbps bitrate. Google is also introducing a native night mode scene detection for cameras, improved vertical text rendering and accessibility enhancements.

Google will push at least three more Android 16 public betas before we see the finalized version of the platform in Q2. We’ll see a major beta release with new APIs in Q2 and a minor release in Q4 to iron out any remaining bugs.

Android 16 is confirmed to launch earlier than previous versions, with the final release coming sometime in March.

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