After being teased last week, the first Android 16 Beta is now available for Pixel devices. Those who own one of the eligible Pixel phones can now enroll in the beta program to get access to this Android 16 build, as well as any future updates.
If you don’t want to sign-up for the Android Beta Program, you can flash a factory image or OTA file. The Android 16 Beta factory images and the OTA files should be published by Google on its Android Developers website if you want to download those.
Here is the full list of devices eligible for the first Android 16 Beta:
As far as the contents of this first Android 16 Beta goes, Google announced that it includes support for the future of app adaptivity, Live Updates, the Advanced Professional Video format, and more.
With Android adaptive apps, Google is trying to phase out the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens. Instead, apps on Android 16 will work seamlessly on all devices, regardless of display size and form factor.
Android 16 adaptive apps | Image credit: Google
Live Updates are a new type of notifications that should help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities. Also, this Android 16 Beta build advances support for the playback, creation, and editing of high-quality media.
In this regard, Android 16 adds support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, which was specifically designed to be used for professional level high quality video recording and post production. This codec supports HDR10/10+, multi-view video and auxiliary video, multiple decoding and re-encoding without severe visual quality degradation, various chroma sampling formats and bit-depths, and more.
Here are some other important new features included in this Android 16 Beta build: camera night mode scene detection, vertical text, predictive back support for 3-button navigation, new accessibility APIs, and more.
After enrolling in the Android Beta Program, you should be offered an over-the-air update to Beta 1. The same goes for those who are currently on Android 16 Developer Preview 2.
Keep in mind that if you are in Android 25Q1 Beta and wish to take the final stable release of 25Q1 and exit Beta, you must ignore the OTA update to 25Q2 Beta 1 and wait for the release of 25Q1.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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