After releasing two developer beta variations final 12 months, Google launched the primary public beta for Android 16 on Thursday. New options embody dwell updates on the lock display (like Stay Actions on iOS), Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec for high-quality video recording, and a framework for builders to make their apps adaptable for various display sizes and facet ratios.
For customers, assist for dwell updates would be the most seen change. Apple launched Stay Actions to indicate ever-changing updates similar to supply standing, exercises, or sports activities scores with iOS 16 in 2022. Android is now adopting that format to let builders push real-time updates natively with Android 16.
Google can be including frameworks and instruments to make apps extra responsive relating to design. The corporate is phasing out measurement restriction controls for builders, so their apps can look and work higher on giant screens similar to tablets and foldable gadgets.
Android 16 additionally will get a brand new Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec for high-quality video recording and post-processing. The corporate mentioned that this codec will assist creators with sooner modifying capabilities and options like multi-view video and auxiliary video. That is probably a direct reply to Apple’s ProRes and ProRes Uncooked codecs.
With APV, the corporate says that customers can anticipate a “perceptually” lossless high quality, which is nearer to uncooked footage. Plus, the codec will assist a excessive bitrate vary of footage for up to some Gbps for 2K, 4K, and 8K.
Google can be including a manner for apps to know if the digital camera inside their app ought to change to nighttime mode for better-quality low-light photos. The corporate labored with Instagram to deliver this function to customers of choose gadgets final 12 months.
Android 16 will even deliver enhancements on the accessibility entrance, with a brand new required area indicator within the APIs. Because of this new function, apps can inform the consumer {that a} particular area is obligatory. Google mentioned this may be helpful for conditions the place customers have to test the phrases and situations field.
Google took a unique strategy with Android 16 by releasing the primary developer preview in November as a substitute of Q1 2025. The corporate wished to speed up the replace cycle of the Android launch by transport the ultimate model in Q2 slightly than Q3 and transport a minor replace later within the 12 months. That is Google’s effort to make sure that gadget makers have sufficient time to problem updates and cut back the fragmentation of software program variations throughout totally different gadgets.