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Summary
- Android 16 is now available on Pixel phones in stable form, with new features like live notification updates and HDR screenshots.
- Google is also working on a Material 3 Expressive UI redesign and desktop mode improvements, set to arrive in Android 16 later this year.
- Pixel owners are also receiving an exclusive June Pixel Drop with features like custom sticker creation in Gboard, and a new Pixel VIP contacts widget.
Not to be outdone by Apple in this week’s mobile OS news cycle, Google has announced that Android 16 is officially available in stable form. The company has been hard at work on this next-generation version of the Android platform for some time now, with the first Developer Preview landing in November of last year, and the first beta build launching back in January of this year.
«Today, we’re bringing you Android 16, rolling out first to Pixel with more phone brands to come later this year. This is the earliest Android has launched a major release in the last few years, which ensures you get the latest updates as soon as possible on your devices. Android 16 lays the foundation for our new Material 3 Expressive design, with features that make Android more accessible and easy to use,» says Seang Chau, VP and GM of Android Platform at Google.
As far as software updates go, Android 16 itself is a fairly small release from a user-facing perspective: it offers new live update notifications in the vein of Apple’s Live Activities, enhancements in support for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio hearing aid devices, High Dynamic Range (HDR) screenshot support, and a new Advanced Protection setting that «enables an array of robust device security features» when toggled on.
The bigger story is what Android 16 lays the groundwork for. Back at its I/O developer conference last month, Google formally unveiled its next-generation Material 3 Expressive design language, which is set to arrive on the platform in an upcoming Android 16 Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) sometime later this year. Google is also promising major improvements to Android’s desktop mode, custom keyboard shortcuts, and additional external display enhancements, all of which will roll out «later this year on compatible devices.»
Pixel owners are in for an enhanced Android 16 experience
Google is rolling out a June Pixel Drop with new Pixel-exclusive features
In addition to being first in line for Android 16, Google Pixel owners are in for an additional treat in the form of an upcoming June Pixel Drop. This feature drop brings with it several Pixel-exclusive additions, including the ability to create stickers in Gboard via the Pixel Studio application, a new VIP Contacts app widget, a new Pixel Camera education hub that surfaces photography tips, and live search in the Magnifier app.
It wouldn’t be a Google software release without a sprinkling of AI, and this time around the company is launching new AI-powered editing options in Google Photos. AI suggestions for enhancing photos with a single tap are being incorporated into the mix, as well as easier quick access to commonly used editing controls. A new Expressive Captions feature, which is available in US, Canada, UK, and Australia (English), is designed to improve upon the intensity, nuance, and emotion of speech when compared to the currently available live captions experience.
It’s unclear whether this June Pixel Drop will make its way to Pixel phones within the Android 16 over-the-air (OTA) update itself, or whether it’ll be a separate update pushed out after the fact. Google documentation states that «your Pixel will generally receive Pixel Drops during the applicable Android update and support periods for the phone,» which suggests that all Android-16-compatible Pixel devices will receive the June Pixel Drop when it does arrive.
