User interface
Android 16 introduces an overhaul to the operating system’s Material Design language branded as “Material 3 Expressive” which features increased use of animation, colors, and blur. Material 3 Expressive will not be included in the initial release of Android 16 and is scheduled for release later in 2025.
Linux terminal
In Android 16, Google expanded the “Linux Terminal” feature, which was initially introduced in Android 15 QPR2 beta, allowing users to run GNU applications within a virtual machine on their devices. This feature utilizes the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) to create a Debian-based environment where users can execute GNU commands and graphical applications. The guest operating system is fully isolated by the hypervisor (KVM or Gunyah) and schedules resources with its own Linux kernel. Notably, it supports running classic software like Doom, showcasing its capability to handle full desktop applications. While still in development, this enhancement brings Android closer to a desktop-like experience, offering greater flexibility for developers and power users.
Embedded photo picker
The Android photo picker now includes support for cloud-based media services like Google Photos. Users can seamlessly select photos stored in their cloud accounts, eliminating the need to switch between apps. Additionally, the picker integrates cloud albums alongside local content. The embedded picker can now respond to configuration changes like the screen orientation or theme changing, can hide the overflow menu and preview features, includes the selection bar and snack bar, and can be expanded or collapsed. Additionally, the picker now includes search functionality, enabling users to search for specific photos and videos within their local and cloud storage.
Health records
Android 16 introduces enhanced functionality in Health Connect, allowing apps to access and manage medical data through a new set of APIs. The initial developer preview includes support for writing medical records in Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) format, a standardized method for managing electronic health records across different healthcare systems. This feature currently focuses on immunization records, with plans to expand support for lab results, medications, and more. Apps can utilize permissions such as android.permission.health.READ_MEDICAL_DATA_IMMUNIZATION and android.permission.health.WRITE_MEDICAL_DATA to interact with this data, with explicit user consent required.
Privacy Sandbox on Android
This feature limits tracking mechanisms by utilizing anonymized data and local processing to deliver personalized content without compromising user privacy. This advancement ensures compliance with evolving data regulations while maintaining robust support for advertising ecosystems.
Audio sharing
Android 16 utilizes Bluetooth LE Audio’s Auracast technology. This allows users to stream audio to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously, such as headphones or speakers, without complex pairing processes. To use this feature, both the source device and receiving devices must support Bluetooth LE Audio.
Notification cooldown
The notification cooldown feature in Android 16 aims to reduce distractions from rapid notification bursts. When multiple notifications are received in quick succession, this feature temporarily lowers the notification sound and minimizes alerts for up to two minutes. This adjustment does not affect priority notifications like calls or alarms, allowing users to maintain focus while still receiving critical updates. The feature is part of Android 16’s broader efforts to enhance user experience through thoughtful notification management.
Adaptive apps
To ensure seamless functionality across various devices and screen sizes, Android 16 is removing the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens. This change encourages developers to create adaptive apps that adjust fluidly to different display dimensions and orientations. Initially, in 2025, this will affect apps targeting API level 36 on devices with screens wider than 600dp, with an opt-out option available. By 2026, the policy will extend to apps targeting API level 37, eliminating the opt-out provision.
Live Updates
Android 16 introduces “Live Updates,” a new class of notifications designed to help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities. The new ProgressStyle notification template provides a consistent user experience for Live Updates, helping developers build for progress-centric user journeys such as rideshare, delivery, and navigation. It includes support for custom icons for start, end, and current progress tracking, segments and points, user journey states, milestones, and more.
APV codec support
Android 16 introduces support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, designed for professional-level high-quality video recording and post-production. The APV codec standard offers features such as YUV 422 color sampling, 10-bit encoding, and target bitrates of up to 2 Gbit/s. A reference implementation is provided through the OpenAPV project.
Vertical text rendering
To better support languages that utilize vertical writing systems, such as Japanese, Android 16 adds low-level support for rendering and measuring text vertically. A new flag, VERTICAL_TEXT_FLAG, has been added to the Paint class. When this flag is set, Paint’s text measurement APIs will report vertical advances instead of horizontal ones, and Canvas will draw text vertically.
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