Google is ramping up preparations for the highly anticipated Android 16, with the second Developer Preview (DP2) now live. The finalised version of Android 16 is set to debut between April and June 2025, and Google has confirmed that its beta program will kick off in January next year.
What’s New in Android 16 DP2
The latest preview is available for Pixel 6 and newer devices, as well as the Pixel Tablet, introducing a suite of updates designed to enhance performance, accessibility, and security. Here’s a closer look at the key updates: • System-Triggered Profiling: Developers can now access diagnostic data like start type, times, and throttling via the new ProfilingManager API, making debugging and performance tuning more efficient. • Richer Haptics: Apps gain more control over haptic feedback, with APIs that let developers define amplitude and frequency curves while ensuring compatibility across devices. • Adaptive Refresh Rate: Android 16 simplifies integration with adaptive refresh rates through updated APIs like hasArrSupport() and getSuggestedFrameRate(int). This ensures smoother visual performance for apps on compatible displays. • Job Execution Optimizations: The updated JobScheduler API offers more detailed insights into pending job constraints and histories, helping developers troubleshoot and optimise app behaviour. • Enhanced Accessibility: The platform deprecates older accessibility announcements, introducing improved tools like setAccessibilityPaneTitle() and setAccessibilityLiveRegion() to enhance user experience. • Cloud Photo Search: Developers can now enable cloud-based search in the Android photo picker, with full search functionality coming soon. • Advanced WiFi Security: For devices supporting WiFi 6’s 802.11az protocol, Android 16 adds AES-256 encryption and protection against MITM (man-in-the-middle) attacks, enhancing location accuracy and security.
Google has outlined a clear timeline for Android 16, with platform stability expected by March 2025. A major SDK release is slated for Q2, focusing on more changes, followed by a smaller update in Q4 to address residual bugs.
In its efforts to streamline app development, Google is refining tools for debugging, enhancing accessibility, and introducing APIs to leverage new hardware capabilities. These changes aim to support a smoother transition to Android 16 and ensure apps are optimised for the platform’s features.