Android 16 Beta 2 represents one of the most significant steps in the evolution of Google's mobile operating system. This second public beta comes with a long list of improvements and innovations in key areas such as photography, performance, privacy, accessibility, customization And much more. Below, we've comprehensively and thoroughly broken down all the new features, differences from previous versions, compatible devices, and much more so you can decide if you want to take the plunge and experience the future of Android now.
Main news of Android 16 Beta 2
Google has put a lot of effort into improving the user experience. With this update, we've integrated both highly requested features and new options previously unseen in the Android ecosystem. These new features directly impact photography, the way you use your phone, security management, and customization, allowing you to adapt your device to your needs and preferences.
Photography and video: Android's new strong point
One of the most updated sections is the camera and video recordingThese are the most relevant innovations:
- Hybrid auto exposure: Thanks to the integration in the Camera2 API, applications can simultaneously manage the automatic exposure along with other critical parameters such as ISO or exposure time. This allows users to get photos and videos with a much more flexible professional quality, especially in complex lighting conditions.
- Advanced color temperature and tint control: Now applications offer a more precise adjustment of the tones of images and videos, something vital for content creators and those seeking maximum color fidelity. These controls are essential in professional recordings where light and colors are constantly changing.
- Ultra HDR support in HEIC format: Until now, Ultra HDR mode was only available for JPG images. With Android 16 Beta 2, it is incorporated Full support for Ultra HDR images in the HEIC format, getting Higher quality, lower weight, and better handling of colors, brightness, and contrast on different types of screens.
- Improved motion photo capture: they have been developed new predefined actions so that camera apps can capture photos while recording videos or in fast-paced situations, such as sports or children, without losing quality and without jumping between modes.
- Improvements to AVIF format support for Ultra HDR: Google is also working to ensure that the AVIF format, which is more efficient and modern than JPG, is fully compatible with Ultra HDR photos, thus consolidating the standard for the coming years.
- Improvements for night photography on social networks: Third-party apps, such as Instagram, can now take advantage of the native camera's various modes to automatically recognize low light conditions and take advantage of night mode directly from the application itself.
These new features not only improve the casual user experience, but also open up new possibilities for mobile photography professionals and enthusiasts.
Deep interface customization and regional settings
Android 16 Beta 2 introduces new ways to customize the system thoroughly, expanding the options that users can modify and adapting the system more to individual context and preferences:
- New icon design: Now, the system and various app icons are shown framed in dark circles, achieving greater visual uniformity and a more elegant and modern appearance.
- Advanced app icon customization: In addition to the circular shape, they incorporate new shapes and styles (up to six different ones), allowing you to define the appearance of the screen according to your tastes and achieve unique combinations without the need for external launchers.
- Adjustable regional preferences: The possibility of adapting the measurement system (inches or centimeters), temperature format (Celsius or Fahrenheit) and the first day of the week depending on the user's regional and language settings. This is especially useful for frequent travelers, expats, and those who prefer a specific setting over their country's standard.
- New quick user profile selection widget: directly from the starting screen You can switch between different user profiles in seconds, making it easy to share your device or switch between personal and work modes.
- Improved customization of the Settings section: Android 16 Beta 2 adds darker backgrounds and a cleaner, more modern look to Settings, making it easier to navigate and access frequently used options.
- Customizable outlines around system text: To provide greater contrast and accessibility, you can now add white or black borders to your text, increasing its readability on any background.
Quick settings, optimized display and notifications
Android 16 continues to focus on usability and efficiency in the daily management of the phone, improving sections such as Quick settings, notifications and screen management:
- Redesigned Quick Settings: Notifications and quick settings are now separated: swipe from left displays notifications, from the right opens quick settings, which now include less rounded shapes and the ability to add more custom shortcuts.
- Mandatory edge-to-edge mode for all apps: Starting with Android 16 Beta 2, all applications must occupy the full screen space without leaving empty edges, which guarantees a more immersive experience and eliminates adaptation problems on modern, foldable devices or tablets.
- Improved screen adaptability in third-party apps: Google requires apps to be fully responsive in terms of orientation and screen size, avoiding clipping, black bars or visual errors especially in foldable mobiles or those with unconventional formats.
- Widgets on the lock screen: Android has brought back this feature, allowing you to add useful information or shortcuts to the lock screen without unlocking your device.
- Automatic management of notification volume: with the new notification cooldown, the system automatically regulates the volume of repeated notifications to avoid disturbances, without affecting important calls or alarms.
- Live Updates: notifications now show the progress or status of tasks in real time, such as tracking shipments, transportation or orders, without having to open the applications.
Optimized performance and new APIs for developers
The second beta of Android 16 reaffirms Google's commitment with a fast, stable, and future-proof system:
- Expanding the performance framework: Multiple internal optimizations have been made to ensure that the system makes better use of hardware resources, achieving a smoother experience across all devices. More information about security and performance improvements can be found in our dedicated section. Android 16 and the new back button.
- Improved support for 16KB page sizes: Devices with more advanced RAM memory now benefit from more efficient management, which Reduces crashes and improves startup of heavy applications.
- New support for adaptive refresh rate: Managing displays that change their refresh rate is now more intelligent, reducing power consumption and visual problems when switching between 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz or higher modes.
- Advanced support for the APV (Advanced Professional Video) codec: Android 16 adds professional video streams with YUV433 color sampling, 10-bit encoding, support for HDR10, HDR10+ and bit rates up to 2 Gbps, allowing 4K and 8K recordings with lossless qualityYou can check out the latest news in our section Android 16 and the new video APIs.
- New tools for graphic effects with AGSL: Implementations such as RuntimeColorFilter and RuntimeXfermode allow you to create advanced visual effects and improve image composition for creative apps, games, and custom visual environments.
- New MediaQuality API: On Android TVs, apps can automatically adjust picture and sound quality depending on the available hardware, optimizing the video and music streaming experience.
Advances in privacy, security and data control
Security remains a top priority in the development of Android 16 Beta 2, bringing important changes:
- Reorganized health and physical activity permits: The BODY_SENSORS permission is now divided into new categories under android.permissions.health, giving greater control to the user about biometric and movement data shared with third-party apps.
- Protection against Intent redirection attacks: Security is strengthened by preventing malicious applications from redirecting functionality and executing unauthorized code through Intents.
- Advanced background job management: The STOP_REASON_TIMEOUT_ABANDONED code is incorporated, offering greater control over jobs that are not completed properly, reducing the impact on battery and resources.
- New Android Keystore APIs for key sharing: includes the possibility of share keys securely between applications, ideal for corporate and high-security environments.
Accessibility: Android is much more inclusive
Google adds key improvements in accessibility to make Android 16 Beta 2 usable for everyone, regardless of context:
- TalkBack and Screen Reader Update: Assisted navigation is now smoother, with support for multiple labels on interface elements, recognition of partially selected states in checkboxes, and indeterminate progress bars.
- Customizable outlines in the text: As mentioned before, it makes reading easier for people with low vision.
- Auracast Audio Streaming Support: Users with hearing difficulties can receive audio signals in public spaces, as well as sharing what is playing on your mobile with multiple devices simultaneously.
More new features and details of Android 16 Beta 2
- Desktop mode: Android 16 paves the way for using your phone like a desktop computer, bringing the experience closer to that of ChromeOS and enabling greater productivity on tablets and phones connected to external displays. For more details, visit The article about desktop mode in Android 16.
- Gemini Extensions and AI Integration: Google's Gemini AI is further integrated into the system, enabling new uses, automation, and intelligent contextual experiences.
- Fixed multiple critical bugs from previous releases: Beta 2 has fixed bugs reported by both users and developers, including crashes in WebViews, unexpected restarts during calls, Google Home crashes, and issues with keyboard management in multilingual apps.
List of devices compatible with Android 16 Beta 2
Android 16 Beta 2 It is available for Google Pixel phones and devices released since late 2021. The model list includes:
- Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
- Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro
- Google Pixel Tablets
- Google Pixel Fold
- Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro
All these devices receive the beta version over the air (OTA) once enrolled in the program, maintaining cumulative updates and without data loss. It is also recommended, as always, to back up before installing any beta version.
How to download and install Android 16 Beta 2
If you have one of the supported devices and want to try Android 16 Beta 2, just follow these steps:
- Access the Google Beta Program Official Page.
- Select your device and register it in the test program.
- You'll receive an OTA update notification in the next few hours. Simply accept and install.
- If you had a previous beta installed, the new one will automatically download to your phone after launch. You can find more details in our guide. How to install the Android 16 beta.
For those who want install the update manuallyGoogle provides links to download OTA images, allowing you to flash the beta from the device's recovery, although this is recommended only for advanced users.
Before updating, remember:
- Make a full backup. Although the beta is fairly stable, unexpected errors may arise.
- Installing beta versions may affect the performance, battery life, and stability of some applications.
- If you need to revert to a stable version, you'll need to perform a full wipe of your device.
Google's roadmap estimates at least two additional beta versions before the stable release of Android 16. For more information, see Android 16 beta release dates.
Bug fixes and internal improvements implemented
Android 16 Beta 2 not only adds features, but also fixes major bugs identified in previous versions:
- Fixed a bug that caused freezing when interacting with certain elements in WebViews.
- Fixed freezes and reboots during voice calls.
- Bug fix where the Google Home app would close unexpectedly.
- Improvements to switching languages from the space bar, preventing the keyboard from disappearing when switching windows.
These changes, along with dozens of minor tweaks, improve system stability and reliability for all beta users.
Android 16 Beta 2 FAQ
- Which devices will receive Android 16 Beta 2? All Pixels from 6 onwards, tablets and Fold.
- Do I lose my data when installing? If you upgrade from a stable or previous beta version, your data will remain. If you return to a previous version, you'll need to perform a factory reset.
- Is Android 16 Beta 2 stable? Although much more stable than Beta 1, it's still a beta. There may be occasional issues with some apps or services not yet optimized for this version.
- When will the final release be? Google is preparing several more beta versions before releasing the final version for all compatible devices.
With the arrival of Android 16 Beta 2, Google confirms its leadership in mobile innovation by offering one of the most secure, fastest, and customizable operating systems on the market. The fine-tuning in photography, accessibility, performance, and privacy puts Android ahead of the game and heralds a bright future for Pixel device users and, subsequently, for all other brands associated with the Android ecosystem. If you have a compatible device and are a tech lover, this beta is your best chance to experience the Android of tomorrow today.
