Search the Community

Despite introducing the bug in March, it may be September before Google fixes it. Google's Pixel phones got a big update this week with the release of Android 16 and a batch of Pixel Drop features. Pixels now have enhanced security, new contact features, and improved button navigation. However, some of the most interesting features, like desktop windowing and Material 3 Expressive, are coming later. Another thing that's coming later, it seems, is a fix for an annoying bug Google introduced a few months back. Google broke the system dark mode schedule in its March Pixel update and did not address it in time for Android 16. The company confirms a fix is coming, though. The system-level dark theme arrives in Android 10 to offer a less eye-searing option, which is particularly handy in dark environments. It took a while for even Google's apps to fully adopt this feature, but support is solid five years later. Google even offers a scheduling feature to switch between light and dark mode at custom times or based on sunrise/sunset. However, the scheduling feature was busted in the March update. Currently, if you manually toggle dark mode on or off, schedules stop working. The only way to get them back is to set up your schedule again and then never toggle dark mode. Google initially marked this as "intended behavior," but a more recent bug report was accepted as a valid issue. It's an annoying bug and not the kind of thing Google would have previously left unfixed in a major version update. Yet the bug is still present in the latest stable build on Pixels. Google has confirmed the issue is part of its ongoing development for Android 16, but it didn't make it into the first release. A fix for this issue is being tested currently in Android 16 QPR1—the "quarterly platform release" that will eventually become a Pixel Feature Drop. Credit: Ryan Whitwam Android 16 QRP1, currently in its second beta release, is expected to be rolled out as a stable version in September. We also expect it to include the promised desktop windowing (currently in developer preview in QPR1 Beta 2) and the new Material theme. Google will do several more monthly patches in the interim, but the dark mode fix is not slated for inclusion. In the past, it would be rare for a relatively simple UI bug like this to persist across Android versions, but the number doesn't matter as much as it used to. Android 16 lays the groundwork for several notable updates to the platform, but it's arriving months earlier than past versions did. Google used to release new Android updates in the fall, around the time that new Pixel phones launch. However, 2025 marks the beginning of a new dual-update system, with a major update in Q2 and a smaller one in Q4. Apparently, the race to get Android 16 out the door left this bug, as well as some big features, still in development. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Android 16 is now available for select phones today. Here are the features we're most excited about. Another year, another version of Google’s mobile operating system. Android 16 brings a whole new look (Apple also just announced a redesign in iOS 26), more customization options, some chunky security enhancements, and a few welcome accessibility improvements. Android 16 is rolling out to select devices today—these are the new features that caught our eye. Google officially ditched the delicious dessert names for Android years ago with Android 10, but it still uses them internally. Android 15 was Vanilla Ice Cream, and Android 16 is codenamed Baklava. When Is Android 16 Arriving for Your Phone? The official release date for Android 16 is June 10. This release is earlier than usual (last year’s release was September), and Google has already scheduled another “minor” release, maybe Android 16.1, for the last quarter of 2025. The developer preview of Android 16 was first released in November 2024, and Google dropped beta releases in January, February, March, and April 2025. Google's Pixel phones always get the new Android version first, but Android 16 is also coming to select devices from Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Vivo, and Xiaomi in the coming months. Check your phone manufacturer's website, forums, or social media to learn when (if ever) to expect Android 16. How to Download and Install Android 16 Folks with a Google Pixel phone (Pixel 6 and newer) can download Android 16 by going to Settings > System > Software updates > System update and tapping Check for update. If you can't wait, you may be able to install the Android 16 Beta. These pre-release versions enable developers to test the forthcoming version of Google’s mobile operating system, learn about the new features, and prepare their apps or games to work properly. They also give early adopters the chance to get a sneak peek. Beta releases are more stable than developer previews, but some bugs are likely, and there are a few hoops to jump through to install them, so it’s not recommended for everyone. If you want to try it, you need a supported partner device (including select phones from Honor, Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi), and you must sign up for the Android Beta Program. Most folks who sign up will get the beta updates OTA (over-the-air) without wiping their phones, but you can’t opt out of the beta program without factory resetting your phone. Make sure you back up your Android phone first. Updates usually pop up automatically, but you can always check whether you have the latest version in Settings > System > System update by tapping Check for update. Want to get off the beta and go back to Android 15? Go to Google's Android Beta page, scroll down to find your device, and hit Opt out. This will wipe all locally saved data, so you'll lose anything you haven’t backed up. You should get a prompt to return to the older version. Top Android 16 Features These are the features and improvements coming in Android 16 we're most excited about. You can learn more at Google’s developer site, and make sure to read our interview with Google’s Android chief about his hopes for the platform. Live Updates Google is introducing real-time tracking into your Android notifications for services, like food delivery and navigation. Instead of having to open up the relevant app, you’ll see live updates in the notification showing when your Uber will arrive or what turn to take next if you’re traveling somewhere using directions. These Live Updates will be the top notification and also appear on the Always-on Display, so you can see at a glance when your food will arrive via an app like DoorDash. Pull down to expand the notification, and you’ll see a progress bar and quick links to actions, such as the option to call or message the driver. Similar to Live Activities in Apple’s iOS, Live Updates may be implemented slightly differently by each manufacturer. Samsung apparently plans to roll Live Updates into its Now Bar that sits at the bottom of the lock screen, while OnePlus will integrate them into its existing Live Alerts system. Advanced Protection Mode This new extra-secure mode in Android 16 is for at-risk folks, like public figures, journalists, and activists, who need extra protection for their digital lives. Google’s Advanced Protection already exists for Google accounts, but now extends to Android 16, imposing tough security settings on apps and services to keep your data safe. It includes checks on memory to block exploits, USB protection, and guards against unsafe websites and spam calls and messages. A later release will add intrusion detection by keeping a permanent end-to-end encrypted log from your device in the cloud, which can be shared and analyzed by a security expert if you suspect there’s a problem. AI-Powered Scam Detection Sadly, fraud is big business. Most folks have seen a scam on their phone at some point, whether disguised as tech support, a prize, or a crypto investment opportunity. Google is using on-device AI to spot scam texts with the Scam Detection feature in Google Messages. It runs locally on-device, so no message content is shared, and shows a pop-up warning to folks when it discovers a suspected scam, warning them of the risk and offering the opportunity to report and block the scammer. Some permissions will also be blocked during phone calls, so scammers can no longer walk people through the process to sideload a malicious app. Medical Records Health Connect enables different health, fitness, and wellbeing apps to share data covering your health in certain categories (Activity, Body Measurement, Cycle Tracking, Nutrition, Sleep, and Vitals). Google is now adding support for Electronic Health Records (EHRs) using the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard widely used by healthcare providers. It’s unclear exactly how this will work or what data it will include, but it may make sharing health records easier. Auracast Broadcast Support As one of the newest Bluetooth features, Auracast enables audio streaming to hearing aids and other supported devices in public spaces. Several people can use it to connect to the same audio stream simultaneously and get audio from TVs in public spaces like the gym, for example, or stream audio directly to hearing aids at a public concert. Android 16 supports broadcasting, so you can go to Settings > Connected devices > Audio sharing and choose to share audio from your device with nearby devices that support Bluetooth LE Audio, which includes Auracast. Better Support for Bigger Screens While some apps restrict resizing and screen orientation, Google is removing this default capability in Android 16. Every app should now adapt to different screen sizes and aspect ratios, including tablets and folding phones. Google also wants developers to ensure that app content is displayed edge to edge. Hide Sensitive Notifications Google is redacting content in sensitive notifications, such as One-Time Passwords (OTPs), when it detects the potential risk of someone else seeing the notification. This might be if you are not connected to your home Wi-Fi and haven’t unlocked your phone in a while. More Legible Text For folks with low vision and reduced contrast sensitivity, Google is detecting text that might be an issue and drawing a high-contrast color box underneath it to ensure the text is as legible as possible. LE Audio Hearing Aids Features There are a couple of notable new features for folks using Bluetooth LE Audio hearing aids with Android 16. First is the option to switch between the built-in microphones on the hearing aids and the microphone on your phone for voice calls. Second is the ability to adjust the ambient sound volume picked up by your hearing aid's microphones. Both could prove helpful in noisy environments with a lot of background noise. Enhanced Camera for Pro Photographers Google is pushing a host of small camera improvements in Android 16 for keen photographers. There’s hybrid auto exposure, allowing a balance of automatic and manual ISO and exposure control, precise color temperature and tint adjustments, better night mode support for apps, and support for Ultra HDR images in the HEIC file format. Google is also adding the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec for higher-quality video recording and post-processing. Windowing Apps Have you ever wished Android was more like Windows? Support for desktop windowing, enabling you to run multiple apps simultaneously, is in the works. Multitaskers will be able to resize windows, and the new feature will work seamlessly with split screen (just like the new iPadOS 26!). Google is also adding connected display support, so you can attach an external display to your Android device and discover the joys of a dual screen setup. Currently part of the developer preview, this won't come to your Android tablet until later this year. Fresh Design The latest evolution of Google’s Android design language is Material 3 Expressive. While it’s not a complete overhaul, it is giving Android a facelift with fresh new animations, better haptic feedback, more dynamic color themes, impactful fonts, and more chances to personalize your Android device. Google has done its homework, drawing on 46 studies with more than 18,000 participants to make changes that people of all ages approved. Before you get too excited, Material 3 Expressive won’t be part of the June release, instead rolling out on Pixel phones first, later this year, and then on other Android devices. Impatient folks may get a sneak peek by signing up for the Android Beta Program. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

According to a report, some hidden code within the Android 16 beta suggests that Google may introduce a feature reminiscent of Apple's StandBy Mode. This option would allow devices in standby to showcase various content on the device's display when it is plugged in to a charger, and set in a horizontal position. Standby mode on Android 16 is expected to display a full-screen clock, photo frame, widgets, on compatible devices. But, there's more. Android Authority reports that the recent release notes from Google mentioned a new feature for phones that will allow users to use "Cast on standby-friendly devices". This likely means that Android is adding a different version of the tablet-exclusive Hub Mode, which you can see in the screenshot here, for Android phones. Google is probably adding the option to Cast to phones that support magnetic charging. Here's why. Standby mode needs the device to be in a horizontal orientation, but it's not easy to charge a phone when it is held sideways, but what if you didn't need a wired charger. Unlike MagSafe technology that is used in Apple's iPhones, magnetic charging hasn't been available on Android until last year, on the HMD Skyline. More devices are said to be adopting the standard, which could have motivated Google to bring standby mode for Android. Qi2 wireless charging, which is the standard for magnetic charging, is said to be coming to a Samsung Galaxy device this year. Google may also add support for Qi2 in the upcoming Pixel 10 devices that could be launched in August 2025. Google is bringing lock screen widgets to Android 16, and these widgets are part of Android's Hub Mode that could be added to Android's standby mode. It could be one of many features that are being baked in to Android 16, which has been codenamed as Baklava. The next gen operating system offers Advanced Protection to prevent USB-based attacks, Identity Check, etc. Android 16 is expected to be launched during Google I/O 2025, which is scheduled to start on May 20. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Google is working on turning Pixels into pocket PCs a la Samsung’s DeX. A beta build of Android 16 contains an early version of Google’s new Android Desktop Mode that, in the future, could let users simply plug their smartphone into a monitor and use it like a laptop or desktop computer. The new feature was shared by Android tinkerer Mishaal Rahman reporting for Android Authority. Rahman manually enabled Android Desktop Mode under developer options on his Google Pixel 8 Pro running the latest Android 16 beta. After plugging it into a USB-C compatible monitor, it immediately displays a PC-like interface on the external display, as you can see as in his video: It looks similar to Samsung’s useful DeX feature that lets you dock a Galaxy smartphone to a monitor for a windowed experience. Android Desktop Mode puts Android’s status bar on the top so you can see your Wi-Fi and signal strength, and there’s a taskbar on the bottom that lets you pin apps for easy access. The taskbar also gives you a Windows Start Menu–style app drawer, and you get access to Android’s native navigation buttons on the right end of the taskbar. Apps run in windowed modes that look a lot like the experience on Android tablets, but you also get Windows PC–like abilities such as snapping windows to the left and right of the screen. Last year, Rahman found an early version of Google’s desktop experience didn’t do much more than let you drop a resizable windowed app onto a bigger screen. In March, Google upped its abilities to include a display placement management setting that lets you drag boxes to arrange your mobile screen and monitor so you can make it easier to navigate your cursor between them, much like the display arrangement settings you’ll find on desktop operating systems. Rahman says Desktop Mode might not be ready at launch for Android 16, which is expected to launch this spring. It could come later in a quarterly update or even as part of Android 17, which won’t likely come until 2026. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Google released Android 16 Beta 3 on 13th March, marking a significant step towards the stable Android 16 release. Among the wide array of improvements and customizations, including Screen Saver trigger based on the device's posture, the one long awaited aspect is the Terminal app. Last year, the ferrochrome-dev-option tag in Android Open Source Project (AOSP) hinted at a new Android's Linux Terminal app via a string, and with the March 2025 Pixel update, the stable version of the app was released. This terminal app is based on Debian and runs in a virtual machine via the Android Virtualization Framework, allowing users to have a portable version of a Linux distro. However, the app lacked one of the most common yet useful features: adding multiple tabs. Android Authority's Android enthusiast, Mishaal Rahman, noticed that Android 16's third beta has brought about UI changes by adding Tab Strips. By clicking on +, users can now add multiple tabs, multitask, and even execute sudo commands. The publication was able to add up to 12 tabs without any issues. However, once the tab is created, it cannot be rearranged or renamed: only deleted. Take a look at the new user interface of the Terminal app: Additionally, the third beta has added the "Display" button, as you can see at the top-right corner. As for now, the Display button is non-functional, and its exact role is not clear. Mishaal Rahman suspects it to run graphical Linux applications. As mentioned earlier, Android's Linux Terminal app lacks tab rearrangements and tab renaming, but this could be simply because of its fresh inclusion. With the subsequent updates, the Terminal app should have more convenient features. Those who would like to try out the new Terminal app can enable developer options and toggle Linux Development Environment: Settings > System > Developer Options > Linux development environment. The system will ask you to install a 560MB+ Debian image package. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of February): 874 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Just last week, we reported that Google was bringing widgets to the lock screen in Android 16 QPR1. Now, Google has brought Android 16 to Platform Stability with the release of Android 16 Beta 3. That means the API surface is locked, the app-facing behaviors are final, and developers can push their Android 16-targeted apps to the Play Store right away. This release marks the final stage of preparation for Android 16. Developers should take note of a few key updates as they continue refining their apps. Here are some of the highlights in Android 16 Beta 3: Broadcast audio support: Pixel 9 devices now support Auracast broadcast audio with compatible LE Audio hearing aids. This is part of Android's push to enhance audio accessibility in public venues like airports, concerts, and classrooms. Outline text for maximum text contrast: Users with low vision now have a better experience thanks to the new outline text feature. Instead of the older high contrast text, Android 16 now draws a larger contrasting area around text to improve legibility. If you are working with custom text rendering or maintaining a UI Toolkit library, make sure to use the new AccessibilityManager APIs to detect if this mode is enabled. Local Network Protection testing: This beta introduces the ability to test the Local Network Protection (LNP) feature, which will eventually require apps to ask for a specific permission for local network access. In Beta 3, it is an opt-in feature. You can test it by running the following adb command: After rebooting your device, your app will have restricted local network access. Expect socket errors like EPERM or ECONNABORTED if your app tries to access the local network without the necessary permission. Google notes that several changes may affect apps when targeting Android 16, including stricter quotas on JobScheduler, updates to Bluetooth bond loss handling, and adjustments to core functionalities. Android 16 is set for a major release in Q2 2025, with another API update coming in Q4. The Q2 release will be the only one this year that introduces behavior changes affecting apps, while the Q4 update will focus on new features, optimizations, and bug fixes without making any changes that could break existing apps. Google is sticking with its quarterly update cycle, with smaller Q1 and Q3 updates aimed at improving stability. At the same time, extra effort is going into getting the Q2 release on as many devices as possible. To try out Beta 3, you'll need to enroll a supported Pixel device for over-the-air updates or use the 64-bit system images with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. If you're already on Android 16 Beta 2 or part of the Android Beta program, you’ll get the update automatically. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of February): 874 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Google has announced that the Android 16 QPR1 update will bring lock screen widget support to Android phones. The feature, which was previously limited to tablets, will improve the user experience and provide instant access to important information and tools directly from the lock screen. Unlike the tablet experience, where a dedicated 2x3 grid-style "glanceable hub" was available by swiping in from the right, the phone version will feature a more compact, single-column layout. Google explained that the design choice was made with an eye toward simplifying the experience for the narrower displays of most smartphones. However, the method of accessing lock screen widgets will differ from the tablet approach. Instead of a swipe, users will now be able to access the lock screen widget experience by placing their phone on a charger or docking it. Future updates may include the ability to access the widgets by simply holding the phone upright on a kickstand. Although the interface will be different on phones and tablets, the functionality will remain the same. Android users will be able to manage smart home devices, set timers, view financial information, and access a variety of other widgets from the lock screen without unlocking the phone. Also, widgets on the lock screen will have the same requirements as any other widget on Android. Google goes on to say that developers will also benefit from this change, as the new lock screen widget support will apply to all Android widgets without the need for additional code. However, they will need to declare the android:showWhenLocked attribute to allow their widgets to launch activities without user authentication. Google emphasized that lock screen widgets will be available in AOSP (Android Open Source Project) for phones and tablets starting with the post-Android 16 QPR1 release, which will be available in late summer 2025. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of February): 874 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Google has already confirmed that the next Android operating system, Android 16, will launch earlier than usual in Q2 of 2025. Now, a new leak reveals the exact date when the operating system could arrive on supported Pixel devices. According to a new claim, Android 16 will launch on June 3, 2025. Notably, it will be launched simultaneously for both Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and as OTA updates for Pixel phones. As per Google's timeline, the major Q2 OTA update will be followed by a minor SDK release in Q4 of 2025 to improve the stability of Android 16. If Android 16 releases in June, then it will be a full 2-3 months earlier than usual since Android 15 started rolling out to Pixel 9 series last month. Google notes that the main reason for the early launch of Android 16 is to allow partner devices to get onboard as quickly as possible. Thanks to the early release, devices launching in July, August, and even September would have the window to launch with Android 16, at least on paper. Additionally, two-point updates and faster deployment enable developers and OEMs to take advantage of new AI features quickly. Google notes, "Q4 minor release will pick up feature updates, optimizations, and bug fixes since the major release. It will also include new developer APIs, but will not include any app-impacting behavior changes." The early launch of Android 16 will also help Google introduce Pixel 10 next year, sometime in August, which is the same timeline as this year's Pixel 9 series. However, while the Pixel 9 series didn't debut with the latest OS out of the box, that may not be the case with Pixel 10. The next version of Android OS, Android 16, has been officially confirmed to be known as "Baklava," which isn't something anybody expected. Although we haven't had dessert code names since Android 9 "Pie" in 2018, subsequent Android versions had internal dessert code names: Android 10 was "Quince Tart," Android 11 was "Red Velvet Cake," Android 12 was "Snow Cone," Android 13 was "Tiramisu," and Android 14 was "Upside Down Cake." Android 15 was called "Vanilla Ice Cream." However, the Android 16 named "Baklava" breaks the pattern, as the next Android version should have a dessert name that starts with the letter "W." Whatever the name may be, everyone is hopeful that "Baklava" is as tasteful as the real dessert. Source: Android Headlines Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of October): 4,832 news posts RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Expect to see the next major set of Android changes ship in the spring instead of the fall. For the last decade or so, Google has released major Android updates in the fall after an extended developer and beta preview process, but for 2025, at least, that’s changing. Now, Google is planning its next major release for Q2 instead of Q3, confirming a recent report from Android Authority about Android 16, which will carry the dessert-themed codename “Baklava.” The announcement says this will “better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.” Other changes Google is talking about today include improvements to the Play Store, where users can share preferences for better recommendations on new apps the way they already could for games, and in development, where Google is adding more Gemini AI features in Android Studio to “write, refactor, and document” code in apps. Image: Google The new update schedule addresses a problem with Android’s ecosystem we’ve been discussing since at least 2016, with third-party phones waiting months or longer to get the latest updates. Sure, Google Pixel phones have been first up for the latest releases, but what about everyone else? A new schedule could make it easier for more manufacturers to release new devices with the latest capabilities available on day one instead of waiting for future updates to add things like Circle to Search. In the new pattern, Google is telling developers that there will be a major release in Q2, along with a minor SDK release in Q4 that’s more like the current quarterly releases that add new features without changing the underlying systems as much. It will mean shifting compatibility testing forward, but the other benefit is that apps could have reasons to support new features — iPhone Live Activities-like ongoing notifications, for example — because more devices will be able to use them right away. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of October): 4,832 news posts RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Google is working on a “Rich Ongoing Notifications” API that could give Android phones a version of iOS’ Live Activities. Android 16 may come with a new “Rich Ongoing Notifications” feature that lets developers keep persistent notifications in the Android status bar, according to Android 15 beta code discovered by Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman, who frequently dives into code to surface coming features. Right now, the code enables adding a pill-shaped icon with custom text and background color to the Android status bar. Some mock notifications Rahman created show how it could be used for things like telling you when to expect your Uber to arrive. Android has already had a feature like this since Android 12 that lets you know how long you’ve been on a phone call, Rahman notes. A screenshot of a mock ongoing notification for Uber, created by Rahman. Screenshot: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority It looks similar to the iOS Live Activities feature, which surfaces things like timers, sports scores, and delivery ETAs on users’ lock screens and at the top of notifications. On the iPhone 14 Pro and up, they appear as widgets that are a glance away in the Dynamic Island cutout while you’re doing other things on your phone. I’d love to have something just like that on my Pixel 6 phone. Live Activities have been a great way to keep from forgetting about a parking meter I paid for via my city’s parking app, or quickly checking on when a food delivery will arrive. Having something similar on Android would be one less barrier to me switching back to the platform in the future. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend