The First Public Beta Version of Android 16 Released
With Android 16, Google has decided to shorten the standard timeframe for developing a mobile OS. This year, Android 16 will be released closer to summer, and the first beta is already available. There aren’t many innovations in the beta version yet. They mainly concern improving the user experience.
First of all, it is worth noting the emergence of a new class of Live Updates notifications, designed to track the status of ongoing events. In general, this is an analogue of Live Activities notifications, which appeared in iOS in 2022. Live Updates notifications are updated in real time and allow you to receive up-to-date information about ongoing events, for example, about the progress of the order delivery process from a cafe.
Another major change in Android 16 is the restriction on developers’ ability to lock the size and orientation of their app windows. This change is intended to ensure that apps “run smoothly” “regardless of the screen size and form factor” of the device. In simple terms, Android 16 will open apps in full screen mode on devices with large screens, such as tablets, even if there are some restrictions on the app window size and orientation.
Other notable innovations include the implementation of support for the Advanced Professional Video codec, which is designed for recording and post-processing high-quality videos. Google has also added an API that developers can use to improve the adaptation of camera applications to low-light conditions.
You can register for the Android 16 beta version on a special Google page.
