Google has already made available the second Developer Preview of Android 16, whereas Samsung has yet to release the stable version of Android 15 (One UI 7.0) for its phones. The stable version is anticipated to be launched around the middle of 2025, with the first Developer Preview version being made available a few weeks ago.
Release of the Android 16 Developer Preview 2 update, which includes several UI enhancements and features
Yesterday's release of the Android 16 Developer Preview 2 update included some new features and UI enhancements in addition to bug fixes. An adaptive refresh rate, enhanced haptics (vibration feedback), enhanced predictive back animation, upgrades to Health Connect, and cloud search in Photo Picker are among the new features.
Android 15 introduces adaptive refresh rate, which uses discrete VSync steps to adjust the refresh rate to the content on the screen on compatible hardware. This is more sophisticated than the existing method of changing the refresh rate, which is mode-switching. VSync lowers jank and saves more power.
Android 16's improved haptics enable phones with sophisticated haptic modules to modify and specify the haptic feedback's frequency and amplitude curves.
Android 16's additions to predictive back animation include a number of new APIs that let developers or OEMs adjust back gesture animations. They can adjust back-to-home animation, for instance. All of this translates to more seamless transitions while navigating between apps, visiting the home screen, and navigating between an app's screens.
Co-developed by Google and Samsung, Health Connect controls the transfer and archiving of health-related information between applications, gadgets, and services. Based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization, Health Connect includes new APIs with Android 16 that allow it to determine the intensity of an exercise or activity. It improves the accuracy of workout tracking in apps.
Additionally, Google has integrated Health Records into Health Connect. With permission, this feature enables apps to read and write a user's medical records in FHIR format.
Searching for cloud-stored photos and movies is now possible with Android's centralized Photo Picker, which was first released last year. For instance, while selecting pictures or videos from Google Photos, you can look up a person's name or location.
These are Android 16's user-facing modifications. More developer-focused features that facilitate the seamless operation of apps and games have also been added by Google. More information on them can be found here.
According to Google, the fourth quarter of next year will see the release of another minor update for Android 16. Samsung may deploy the stable Android 16 upgrade for a few Galaxy devices in the third quarter of 2025, since the first stable version of the operating system is scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2025.
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