Google rolls out Android 16 Beta 2

Google is now pushing its second Android 16 public beta to eligible Pixel devices. This update brings several additions to the first beta release, including media and camera enhancements, accessibility improvements and performance and compatibility tweaks.

The new beta is available for Pixel 6 and newer smartphones, the Pixel Tablet and Android Emulator. If you were previously enrolled in the Android Beta Program, the new updates should arrive as an OTA download.

The new camera additions include hybrid auto exposure, precise color temperature and tint adjustments, motion photo capture and support for Ultra HDR images in the HEIC file format. Google shared it is working on adding AVIF support for Ultra HDR in future builds.

Color temperature and tint adjustments in Android 16 Beta 2

The new beta also brings custom graphical effects with the Android Graphics Shading Language (AGSL). These include complex effects like Threshold, Sepia, and Hue Saturation with the ability to apply them to draw calls.

Android 16 Beta 2 also brings new granular health and fitness permissions, default security hardening against Intent redirection attacks and an updated 16 KB page size compatibility mode which now supports apps built for 4KB memory pages.

16 KB page size compatibility mode on Android 16 Beta 2

Google also added accessibility improvements to TalkBack, support for elements with multiple labels and improved support for expandable UI elements. Streaming apps on Android 16 will now be able to dynamically adjust video quality based on device capabilities.

With public Beta 2 now out, Google will bring two more beta updates in the coming months. Android 16 will enter platform stability in March, while the final release is expected later in Q2.

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