Latest news with #Android16Beta4
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Android 16 Beta 4 is ready for your Pixel
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Android 16 Beta 4 is here for all supported Pixels, packed with fixes and tweaks. Beta 4 brings the April 2025 security patch, squashing bugs and critical CVEs. Key fixes include battery drain, wonky haptics, and radar issues in Pixel Weather. Factory images are available for manual installs, and OTA updates are rolling out (BP22.250325.007). Google has rolled out Android 16 Beta 4 to all supported Pixels, and it's the last beta before the big launch next month, loaded with fixes, polish, and broader device support. The latest update drop didn't really spill much about what's new under the hood. And since we're this close to the stable release—likely lining up with Google I/O in May—it's safe to say we're not expecting any big surprises. This build is probably just about tightening screws, squashing bugs, and making sure everything runs smooth for launch day. Beta 4 packs the April 2025 security patch, locking down two stealthy bugs and a bunch of other critical CVEs. Google has also dropped the factory images for those who like the manual route, and the OTA rollout is already underway (look for build BP22.250325.007). Android 16 Beta 4's official notes reveal fixes for some pretty key bugs, such as weird battery drain, glitchy haptics, and radar not working in the Pixel Weather app. It also squashes system stability issues and random launcher crashes some folks were dealing with. Additionally, a few Pixel users have taken to Reddit to report that the "Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock" option has gone missing after installing the latest Android 16 beta (via Android Police). If you've got a Pixel, from the 6 series all the way up to the new 9 lineup (including Fold, Tablet, and A models), you're good to go with the Android 16 Beta 4 update. A big highlight in this release is the first-ever beta build for the freshly launched Pixel 9a, which is now part of the Android Beta Program's device lineup. Google is sticking to its Q2 2025 launch plan and letting beta testers know they'll get automatic OTA update notifications once it's ready to roll. Following in the footsteps of OnePlus and Xiaomi, Google is opening up the Android 16 beta to even more brands. Now, iQoo, Lenovo, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Vivo, and Honor devices are also getting in on the pre-release action. To check if Android 16 Beta 4 is ready for your Pixel, head to Settings > System > Software updates, then tap "System update." From there, hit "Check for updates" to see if it's available.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Honor Magic 7 Pro gets early access to Android 16's Beta
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Honor Magic 7 Pro gets access to Android 16 Beta 3 and test run, and see what this new OS feels like on their phones. The company put out a detailed guide for developers and advanced users who'd like to test out the new software. Honor cautions that this is not for general users and says that there's a low probability of the phone restarting in some scenarios once it is updated. Honor announced today that those with an Honor Magic 7 Pro device will be able to experience Android 16 Beta 3 as it has been made available for developers. In an email to Android Central, the company added that the HONOR Magic7 Pro is one of the first phones globally to support this preview. The company added that this Android 16 Beta 3 preview will give developers early access to new features and performance of the OS, firsthand. It will also give them access to new APIs and tools that could help developers fine-tune the user experience before the stable version of the OS is officially launched later in June. That said, it should be noted that Pixel phones are currently on Android 16 Beta 4, but this is the first Android 16 beta version available for the Honor's Magic 7 Pro. "This marks another milestone in HONOR's close collaboration with Google. HONOR was also among the first to roll out Android 15 Beta 1 in 2024 for the Magic 6 Pro and Magic V2," the company said in an email. Furthermore, in a detailed post, the company laid out steps for developers to safely upgrade their phones. And if you are a general user, the company recommends that you wait until the official stable launch of the OS later this year. Developers who plan on installing the Beta version can do so through Honor's official page, which has the upgrade package uploaded onto the website. All that you need to do is download the corresponding upgrade package based on your device. Make sure adb, Python environment, and Honor Suite are available for PC. Secondly, developers need to have more than 60GB of space on their phones. Following this, go to Settings > About phone, tap Build number seven times to enable developer mode, then go to System & updates > Developer options to enable USB debugging and connect the device to PC via USB cable. The next steps are detailed in Honor's blog post. Lastly, the OEM notes that this upgrade will not erase any data, and recommends that you back up your phone beforehand. "The upgraded new system adopts a brand new user partition, which is not shared with the original one, and the data of the original user partition is unavailable on the new system," the company added.
India Today
05-05-2025
- India Today
Android 16 is bringing Advanced Protection mode, here is what it is and how it will work
With more people relying on their smartphones for everything from banking to social media, keeping your personal data safe has become more important than ever. Android 16 is set to introduce Advanced Protection mode, a new security feature that aims to shield users from threats by locking down their devices with stronger protection settings. Once enabled, this mode will automatically apply a range of safeguards to make the device more secure — especially useful for those who might not always dig deep into security settings to a report by the Android Authority, the Advanced Protection mode can already be tested on devices like the Google Pixel 9 running Android 16 Beta 4. Once the feature goes live, users will be able to find and activate it through a simple toggle in the Settings app. The moment it's turned on, several built-in protections kick in, many of which cannot be changed individually — making this a more robust form of security that prioritises safety over customisation. Source: Android Authority Source: Android Authority The Advanced Protection mode is designed to provide a comprehensive shield against common threats. For example, it will block unsafe network connections by disabling 2G support and preventing the use of outdated WEP Wi-Fi networks. These types of connections are easier for hackers to exploit, so turning them off helps reduce the risk of snooping or attacks. However, 2G may still be accessible in emergencies, like when you need to make a distress Advanced Protection mode will also prevent the installation of apps from outside the Google Play Store — commonly known as sideloading — a move that should stop users from accidentally installing harmful apps. In addition, it activates something called Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), which helps catch bugs and memory-related issues in apps, further improving overall device mode even adds extra protection to common apps. Google Messages and Phone by Google are already set up to work with Advanced Protection, offering features to detect spam and scams. The Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock will help keep your phone secure even if it's lost or stolen by locking it down and blocking unauthorised to a new AdvancedProtectionManager API introduced in earlier beta versions of Android 16, app developers will also be able to detect when this mode is enabled. That means apps — especially banking or secure communication tools — can adapt and offer extra safety features for users who've turned it useful feature is related to web browsing. If you land on a non-HTTPS page, which could be insecure, the system will issue a warning. Android Safe Browsing, which alerts you about suspicious or harmful websites, is also part of the first began working on this feature in October 2024, and it has gradually appeared in a couple of Android 16 beta updates. A wider release is expected once Android 16 rolls out in its stable form, likely in the coming weeks. Google is also expected to showcase more details during its next episode of The Android Show on May 13, followed by further announcements at the company's annual I/O developer conference.
Mint
02-05-2025
- Mint
Android 16 leak reveals major visual redesign: New icons, animations and quick settings revamp tipped
Google's forthcoming Android 16 update could introduce one of the most significant visual redesigns in recent years, according to newly surfaced details from a leaked beta version. The update, which is expected to roll out by June, may bring sweeping changes to the interface, including revamped notifications, Quick Settings, and status bar icons. A report byAndroid Authority reveals that Android 16 Beta 4 contains several hidden design upgrades, though they are yet to be activated. Among the key enhancements is a refreshed status bar, with redesigned icons for Wi-Fi, mobile data, airplane mode, and battery. The Wi-Fi and mobile data indicators have reportedly been separated into distinct segments, while the icons for 5G and airplane mode appear noticeably bolder. The battery icon is also receiving a makeover, featuring a more vivid appearance. It is said to display a green background when charging and switch to red to signal a low battery. Additionally, the clock on the status bar is expected to use a larger and bolder font for improved readability. Google's Quick Settings panel is set for a notable revamp as well. The update could introduce resizable tiles, streamlined one-tap toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a more organised tile editor, allowing users to easily add or remove tiles with a single tap. A redesigned brightness slider, expandable tiles marked with downward arrows, and a new segmented Wi-Fi icon are also reportedly on the way. In terms of aesthetics, the Quick Settings menu is tipped to adopt a blurred background—a visual effect that may extend to other areas of the system, such as the app drawer in Pixel Launcher, the multitasking view, and the PIN entry screen. The lock screen is said to be receiving layout adjustments, with date and weather details positioned for a cleaner look, and contextual information placed at the top when no notifications are present. Other reported interface tweaks include a compact notification shelf, a redesigned volume slider, updates to the PIN entry page, and a new media output switcher. The Settings app is expected to align with Google's latest Material 3 Expressive design guidelines, while the Pixel Launcher may soon offer custom icon shape options. Beyond visual updates, Google is also reportedly working on adding more fluid animations throughout the system. The report highlights new physics-based animations for dismissing notifications—partially swiped notifications may now bounce back if released before being dismissed. Similarly, a subtle 'jiggle' effect could be introduced in the recent apps menu when a user begins swiping a task but lets go before completing the action. Additional animation tweaks are said to include a waveform icon within the volume indicator when audio is playing, a tap animation for the clock, and a brief animation triggered when holding down the power button. Although these features have been identified in Android 16 Beta 4, they are not yet enabled, suggesting Google may save their release for a future quarterly update. First Published: 2 May 2025, 03:43 PM IST
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Time of India
Android 16 Beta now available on non-Pixel smartphones: Check out all the features
Android 16 Beta 4 update out now: The most recent beta release of Google's next Android version creates a stir as the company gradually broadens its access. With the release of Android 16 Beta 4 for additional devices, early adopters and tech enthusiasts may finally experience what Android's future holds. Google improves the experience with every beta stage and allows more people to test it before the launch. This update offers new information if you've been wondering what Android 16 will bring or if your phone qualifies. There is much to explore, ranging from slight improvements to expanding device support. Everything you need to know about the new beta release, supported brands, and potential implications for your smartphone experience has been covered in this post. Android 16 features Camera and Media Features With hybrid auto-exposure modes, third-party apps can manually adjust specific exposure parameters while letting the camera manage other aspects, including exposure time and AE or ISO and AE. Fine Color Temperature and Tint Adjustments: It allows exact control over white balance settings. Motion Photo Capture: Allows for delivering UltraHDR photographs and capturing motion photos using new intent actions. Ultra HDR Image Support: Supports embedded gain maps in UltraHDR JPEG format and UltraHDR images in HEIC file format. Professional Advanced Video (APV): For professional-level, high-quality video recording and post-production, Codec provides 10-bit encoding, YUV 422 colour sampling, and target bitrates of up to 2 Gbit/s. Notification Features Rich Ongoing Notifications: Shows real-time updates, including Uber's arrival time or aircraft boarding details. Progress-Centric Notifications: Shows the start, progress tracking, segments, and user journey statuses of a rideshare pickup, food delivery dropoff, or distance. Notification Cooldown: Minimizes alerts for up to two minutes and mutes notification sound to lessen distractions from sudden notification bursts. Accessibility Features By substituting a bigger contrasting region for high-contrast text, outline text makes text easier to read for users with lower contrast sensitivity. Accessibility APIs communicate whether interactive elements, like menus and expandable lists, are expanded or collapsed. UI elements can get their accessibility label from another element using multi-label relationships. Security Features Advanced Protection Mode: stops sideloading apps and activates Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) for apps to guard against memory safety issues. Regardless of the target SDK version, intent redirection attack protection fortifies security against intent redirection attacks. Wi-Fi Location Security: protects against Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks and supports strong security features in Wi-Fi location using AES-256-based encryption. User Experience Features Predictive back animations show consumers where the back button will take them in advance and support Three-button navigation. Live updates provide a consistent user experience by assisting users in monitoring and accessing ongoing activity. Desktop Window Mode allows you to use external display management tools in a desktop-like environment. Display colours can be changed for a better viewing experience with adaptive display colours. Smartphones with Android 16 Beta 4 update Google quickly released the Android 16 beta for Pixel 6 and later models, and many OEMs are now doing the same, albeit primarily for high-end devices. OnePlus, Honor, Vivo, Xiaomi, and other brands are on the list: OnePlus 13 (both OxygenOS and ColorOS) Xiaomi 14T Pro, Xiaomi 15, Redmi K70 Ultra (HyperOS versions) Vivo X200 Pro iQOO 13 Honor Magic 7 Pro Oppo Find X8 Realme GT 7 Pro As you can see, most devices running the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite/MediaTek Dimensity 9000 series chipset are in the luxury category and receive the Android 16 beta functionality. The OS on these phones is compatible with the Android 16 beta version, and most are accessible worldwide, including in India. Pixel phones are a convenient way to test the unannounced Android version if you don't have any handsets from these firms. It is important to note that the Android 16 beta is still unstable. Thus, it is not advised to install it on the principal device. Must Read: Samsung One UI 7 to roll out in India? These smartphone launch timelines leaked, here is what you need to know The ability to unlock your Pixel phone or any other Android 16 device with the screen off is one of the anticipated features of the operating system, which should speed up the procedure. Users can manually adjust the device's settings, and Google is unlikely to activate this option by default, which is the best course of action. For the latest and more interesting tech news, keep reading Indiatimes Tech.
