The First Developer Preview of Android 16 Is Here
If you’re an Android fan, you’re probably used to the typical release of Android developer previews: Google typically releases the first developer preview in February , so the fact that the company released the first Android 16 developer preview in November is three months ahead of schedule term. – quite surprising.
This is good, but not only because interested parties can already try out Android 16. It happens that Google previously announced that Android 16 would be released in the second quarter of 2025 , not the third, which explains why we’re seeing the first preview in November It’s all part of a push to bring Android to more devices sooner rather than later. Traditionally, Google’s own hardware gets the latest Android updates well before other brands, which makes some sense considering Google also makes Android. Some select manufacturers release Android updates soon after, but many companies are quite slow to update. We hope the new schedule will help fix this.
Don’t install the Android 16 developer preview
However, you probably shouldn’t install the Android 16 preview yourself. For now, this preview is intended for developers to test their apps with the new version of Android, rather than for regular users to try out the new features. Thus, this will be the most unstable Android 16: developers will share their experiences with Google, reporting all the bugs and problems they encounter. Google will address the most pressing issues first and continue to work with developers to make Android 16 more stable.
In January, Android 16 will arrive at a point where, while not ready for public release, it will be available in preview for users willing to take the risks of beta software. This is Google’s general beta program for Android . Once Android 16 hits beta, you’ll be able to install the software on your Pixel or other supported Android device to test out the new features and changes. There will likely still be issues with the software, so don’t expect a smooth experience. This is why it is recommended to install beta versions on additional devices or at least back up your important data on your primary device so that none of it is lost in case something goes wrong.
What’s new in Android 16?
However, as of Wednesday, November 20, Android 16 is in developer preview— the first developer preview. This software is so not designed for everyday users that Google hasn’t even announced any custom features for Android 16. As of now, Google has just announced three changes for developers coming with Android 16: a built-in photo picker, a feature that allows users select photos and videos that can be shared in the application; An API that allows apps to read and write user health records in FHIR format if the app obtains user consent; and the latest version of Privacy Sandbox, Google’s privacy compromise system that attempts to preserve user privacy while maintaining support for free content funded by user data.
Which devices support Android 16?
Right now, developers can manually download the Android 16 preview on the following devices:
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Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
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Pixel 6a
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Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
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Pixel 7a
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Pixel fold
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Pixel tablet
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Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
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Pixel 8a
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Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold
You can access these images on Google’s developer site here , but again, these builds are for developers only. If you’re not one of them, wait until Android 16 goes into public beta in January.