Android 16: the second beta is out on Google Pixel devices

Android 15 is still far, very far from being installed on all mobile devices on the planet. Most manufacturers are still only in the early stages of beta versions of their respective overlays. Regardless, Google clearly does not intend to hang around with the development of Android 16, which has just reached a new important stage in its development. Indeed, testers with a Pixel 6 smartphone or higher, or a Pixel tablet, can now try out the second developer beta of the next version of the mobile operating system.

Several improvements and new features for developers

In its blog note, Google begins by specifying that this new build of Android 16 improves the experience of certain applications, boosts battery life and improves performance while minimizing incompatibilities. However, this is still only a fairly rough version intended in particular for developers, with Google hoping to achieve stability of the platform next March, for a release after April.

This second beta, however, improves various elements. The ARR (Adaptive Refresh Rate) introduced in Android 15 should first of all be more easily usable by applications in Android 16. The latter should also be able to better adjust and use haptic feedback.

Android's photo selector will soon have a search engine and the ability to search for an image in the cloud. Finally, in addition to new functions and APIs which should improve the execution of applications, security around WiFi location is reinforced for devices with WiFi 6.