Android 16 appears on all qualified pixel phones with new real-time update notifications

Google has released Android 16 to the public because it is now available for compatible phones. The company said the new device will be pre-installed with OS “in the coming months.” As usual, it first comes Google’s own pixel phone.

This update includes several notable features. The biggest one is probably real-time updates in notifications. This means things like rides and food delivery will get a progress bar directly in the notifications, so people don’t have to keep opening and closing the app to wonder why the burritos seem to be trapped four blocks away.

Also, notifications from the same application will now be automatically combined to reduce confusion and ping. Now, there is a native control option that supports LE audio hearing aids. When using one of these listening devices in a noisy place, the user can also switch to the phone’s microphone.

Google tied all its security features together, so it can now protect users from “online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam phone calls and more.” This includes a new scam detection feature previewed in May.

The blinds are getting a fairly robust new feature suite, including automatic night mode scene detection, hybrid automatic exposure and more precise color temperature adjustments. Ultrahdr images have been improved and support for HEIC encoding, and Android 16 provides integration with high-end Advanced Professional Video (APV) codecs.

The company has finally brought the desktop window to Android, but isn’t ready yet. The feature will be available to regular users later this year, but Android 16 QPR 3 Beta 2 is currently previewing the feature.

There is also a neat Android ecosystem update with some nice features. This includes upgraded RCS group chat with the ability to customize icons and mute threads. Google Photos now offers an AI-enhanced image editor that will recommend recommended edits. The emoji kitchen is receiving new sticker combinations and wearing an operating system device can now pay for transit fares without opening a dedicated app.

Finally, Google provides details about the pixel drop in June. New features include a Pixel VIP widget that displays information about preferred contacts and more expressive subtitles in videos.

Obviously, Android 16 is more than just a Pixel series phone. As mentioned earlier Android AuthoritativeMotorola has released a list of all its devices that will officially run the new operating system. It’s also worth mentioning that there are some bugs on the Pixel phone, so if you’re installing the latest version of Android, keep this in mind.

Updated, June 10, 2:00 PM ET: OK, we jumped the gun to a little. As mentioned earlier (error), Android 16 should now be available. We regret our mistakes.