Android 16: When does it arrive, and what features will it have?
This time, it’s sooner than the typical Q3-Q4 timeframe. #android #android16
Android 16 logo. Image: Android Developers Blog.
Updating your Android firmware on smartphones and tablets has become a regular affair, with each major Android refresh an important milestone for mobile devices to stay secure, have more user-friendly tools (without relying on third-party solutions), and see overall performance boosts for day-to-day usage.
Android 16 is coming; this time, it’s sooner than the typical Q3-Q4 annual timeframe. Here’s everything you need to know about Google’s upcoming OS for mobiles.
When is Android 16 going live?
As seen on the timeline published by Google’s very own Android Developers portal:
Android 16's release timeline, scheduled after April 2025. Image: Android Developers Blog.
Developer Previews of Android 16 started late last year, shortly after it concluded Android 15’s release. The first four months of 2025 went to Beta Previews (for instance, March 2025 is Beta 3).
Beta Preview periods are for developers of Android apps to finalise their app’s APIs and compatibility before Final Release. While there’s no fixed day or month for that, the Final Release is scheduled after April 2025.
Android 16's release, with Q2 hosting the major update itself and Q4 being a minor update to the OS. Image: Android Developers Blog.
That said, Android has scheduled a “minor SDK release” for Android 16 in Q4 2025 to optimise and fix bugs.
For comparison, Android 15 went live in October 2024, and Android 14 has been available since October 2023. Android 16 is much, much more expedited than before.
Trivia: Android 16’s internal codename is Baklava, as seen in its API overview.
What are some new features in Android 16?
One of the many new features in Android 16: greater control over white balance in photo-taking. Sounds simple, but read below to see what's exactly changed. Image: Android Developers Blog.
Simply put, major Android OS updates typically benefit app developers. However, developers still have to decide whether to include new or refined capabilities offered by Android.
What it does translate into, however, is easier access and development to features that were once proprietary to brand reskins or very hard to make. This means more Android features will become richer and more consistent across Android devices without relying on brands to make them for their users.
New features that can affect end users include:
Progress-centric Notifications: A new notification style for tracking “journeys” It’s for notifications seen in rideshare, food delivery, and navigation apps.
Richer haptics: Developers can use Android 16 haptics API to customise vibrations further.
Improved adaptive refresh rate support: More APIs for app developers to control and use adaptive refresh rates.
Better Accessibility access: Developers can add an API that checks if a user has specific Accessibility options toggled on, making it more accessible in third-party apps.
Hybrid Auto Exposure is now supported: Camera users can control ISO + AE and Exposure Time + AE. Previously, photographers were limited to full-manual or full-auto controls for exposure.
Finer colour temperature and tint adjustments: Also another quality-of-life upgrade for photographers. Instead of relying only on presets or Auto White Balance, you can make more precise WB changes based on colour temperature.
In-built Night Mode support: Instead of non-transferable, siloed Night Mode features on select camera apps by select phone brands and app developers, Android 16 can now auto-detect Night Mode and support it on third-party apps, such as Instagram (still requires the app developer to add that line of code, though).
More about Android 16
There’s many many more new features, although they largely just change around how app developers implement things. You can read the rest here.
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.