New Android 16 Beta 1 update for Pixel phones

Today, Google released the first beta version of Android 16 for Pixel phones. This update is available for anyone who joins the Android Beta Program.

Android 16 Beta 1 brings a new feature called Live Updates. These are special notifications that make it easier for you to keep track of things like your ride-share, food delivery, or when you’re navigating. They use a new style called ProgressStyle, which shows how far along you are in these activities with custom icons for start, end, and current status.

Google is also making changes so that apps work better on bigger screens. Starting with this version, apps will automatically adjust their size on screens wider than 600dp if they target API level 36. This means apps will look good whether your screen is vertical or horizontal. Developers can choose not to do this for now, but by 2026, all apps will need to do this.

Another big update is support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec. This helps in recording and editing videos with very high quality, up to 2K, 4K, or even 8K resolution, without losing much detail. It’s designed for professionals who need the best video quality.

There’s also a new way to measure how far apart devices are using different technologies like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which can be useful for apps that need to know distances.

Android 16 improves how apps handle going back. Now, if you press and hold the back button, you’ll see a preview of the previous screen, helping you navigate better. This works all over the system where going back is an option.

For developers, there are new tools to make apps work better in low light, write text vertically, and make form inputs clearer for accessibility.

If you want to give feedback on this beta, you can use the Android Beta Feedback app on your Pixel device or join discussions on Reddit.

To get this update, if you’re already in the Android Beta Program or using Developer Preview 2, you’ll get it automatically. But if you’re on Android 15 QPR2 Beta and want to keep it stable, you should wait for the final release of QPR2 instead of updating to Android 16 Beta 1.

This beta version, tagged as BP22.250103.008, includes a January 2025 security update and supports all Pixel models from the Pixel 6 series up to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, along with the Android Emulator.

• Pixel 9 Pro Fold: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 9 Pro XL: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 9 Pro: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 9: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 8a: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 8 Pro: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 8: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel Fold: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel Tablet: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 7a: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 7 Pro: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 7: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 6a: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 6 Pro: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA
• Pixel 6: BP22.250103.008 — Factory Image — OTA