Android 16: Seven key features you should know about Google's latest mobile OS

Google's new mobile OS update brings new features, material 3-based user interface design, and computer-like window tiles for devices with big screens such as foldable phones and tablets in addition to advanced cyber security protection.

After months of testing, Google has finally begun rolling out Android 16 to eligible phones worldwide.

Google's new mobile OS update brings new features, material 3-based user interface design, and computer-like window tiles for devices with big screens such as foldable phones and tablets in addition to advanced cyber security coverage.

Android 16: Key features you should know about Google's latest mobile OS

Material-3 (M3) Expressive design system: Thanks to the new UI design, Android 16 will be more fluid in terms of smooth transition, a natural expressive animation while launching an app or while switching between apps.

And, in some compatible phones, it will support haptic rumble to offer a physical tactile feel for the fingers while navigating on the phone's display.

The Android 16 will bring updated colour themes, a refined home screen grid and more customisable options.

Material-3 UI Design of Android 16.

Live Updates: This new feature offers options to compatible apps such as cab service, food delivery and e-commerce to show live feed on the lock screen about the latest status update of the delivery or estimated time of arrival of the taxi.

Initially, Live Updates will be integrated with the Now Bar feature on Samsung devices, and in Live Alerts feature on Oppo and OnePlus phones.

Android 16 brings Live Updates for Android phones.

Grouping of notifications: Once updated to Android 16, the phone will force-group notifications that come from one app to help reduce information overload. This way, the notifications look tight and organised.

Compatibility to more hearing aids: With Android 16, more phones will be able to pair with a wide variety of hearing aids. Users will also be able to switch from a hearing aid to their phone's microphone for clearer calls in noisy environments.

Android 16 brings native support for more hearing aids with Android phones.

Also, Android 16 brings native control for hearing devices in Android devices for easier access and a more consistent experience. This means users can control things like volume on the hearing devices right from the Android phone.

Scam alerts on Messages app for Android phones.

Advanced cyber security protection: With Android 16, Google is bringing its strongest mobile device protection. It enables an array of robust device security features that protect the user from online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and more.

Also, there is also a privacy security feature, which makes stolen Android phone useless.

Find Hub: Android 16 brings a new one-stop destination called Find Hub, to view all the connected Android devices including Bluetooth-based tags and to see the live locations of the family members and friends, provided they have granted permission to access it.

Moto Tags will be the first of the smart tag devices to support Find Hub.

Windowing feature of Android 16 for devices with wide display.

Desktop-like experience to wide-screen devices: For tablets and foldable phones, Android 16 brings the option to open, move and resize multiple app windows in a single screen, similar to how we do it on a desktop. This Android 16's desktop windowing feature will be rolled out later this year on compatible devices.

List of phones eligible for Android 16:

Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold and Pixel 9a.

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