Kellen
Because Android 16 Developer Preview 1 is here, you are probably wondering what’s new and what you can get excited about whenever this moves into a beta. Since we have this early build up on both a Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro Fold, we’re diving in now to give you a list of items.
Below, we’re compiling and adding the best new Android 16 features, so be sure to refresh throughout the next several hours as it grows. But to start, we have a confirmed codename for Android 16, the return of an Android 15 preview feature, and one that only showed up recently in the 15 QPR2 release that should land in 16.
Android 16!
Android 16 is “Baklava”
A report from a couple of months ago suggested that Android 16 would be codenamed “Baklava” within Google and that is now confirmed. If you head into the Settings area for this first Android 16 DP1 build, you’ll see the name “Baklava” right there where it will eventually say “Android 16.” Neat.
Audio sharing is back from the previous 15 Preview
This Audio Sharing feature was first spotted back in Android 15 DP2 and then never made it into Android 15 stable. It’s also not in any of the Android 15 QPR builds, but did show up in this first Android 16 DP1 release. Will we see it show up officially when Android 16 goes stable in Q2 of next year? Maybe?
Audio Sharing is a Bluetooth feature that lets Bluetooth LE Audio devices pair to your device as you play media. You are essentially broadcasting a signal that others can attach to, which is kind of cool.
Google has improved the settings page for it some by putting your device name and password at the ready, with a toggle to improve compatibility for some types of devices, like hearing aids.
Modes in place of DND, which is in 15 QPR2 also
Look, we’re scrambling here to find interesting new features to talk to you about, so we’ll bring up the new Modes area that was first introduced in Android 15 QPR2. We assume this will make it into the QPR2 update, but because of the release time frame for that, it could also just end up being an Android 16 feature.
For those who missed it, Google is replacing Do Not Disturb (DND) with a Modes area. You essentially get to create multiple types of modes to quick-switch to. Some examples would be a Mode bedtime, for your typical DND mode, for gaming, and then any other custom mode you may need. This new Modes feature also swaps out your Quick Settings tile from a DND toggle to a Modes button that pops up all of your modes. It’s kind of a downgrade, because turning on DND is now a two-tap action.
Notification cooldown returns from 15 preview
Like the Audio Sharing feature above, there is another feature returning from Android 15 Previews and it is Notification Cooldown. First spotted in Android 15 DP1, this setting lives in Settings>Notifications and is there to try prevent an app from sending you too many notifications within a short period of time.
In the description seen above, Google says that with Notification Cooldown turned on, it will lower your device volume and minimize alerts for up to 2 minutes if it sees “many” notifications in a short time. Those notifications will still show up on your phone, only in the notification shade rather than through a big, loud ping as would be normal.
The UI for this is much more complete than it was with 15 DP1, so maybe it will make it to stable 16 in a few months.
WiFi Sharing is way cuter now
Look at the cute new QR code design that pops up when you share your WiFi network with someone. Super cute.
Developer stuff: Photo Picker, Health Connect, Privacy Sandbox
In Google’s write-up on this first release, they only pointed out 3 changes for developers to prepare for out of the gate. The first is an embedded photo picker that should now “feel like a more integrated part of the app” than it used to. For Health Connect, there is a new API that allows apps to read and write medical records in FHIR format. And for the Privacy Sandbox, DP1 uses the latest version, which really just means improved privacy for users of Android.
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