Android 16 Launch: What’s New, Who Gets It, and How to Update
Android 16 arrives June 11 with new UI, battery health tools, Gemini AI, and live updates. Starts with Pixel, coming soon to Samsung, OnePlus, and more.
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Google will officially begin rolling out Android 16 on June 11, starting with Pixel smartphones. This major update introduces a revamped interface, improved security features, real-time notifications, and a powerful AI assistant replacement, making it one of the platform’s most extensive updates to date.
Android 16 will launch initially for Google Pixel models, with other Android manufacturers including Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and others expected to follow. The update will be released in phases, with availability depending on device model and geographic region.
Android 16 brings a newly structured Material 3 UI, emphasizing dynamic visuals. It includes customizable tile sizes in Quick Settings, simplified font styles, and smoother system animations. Wallpapers will now influence system colors in real time, forming a consistent theme across menus and apps.
Google introduces Live Activities—a feature that allows users to track ongoing events like food deliveries or ride arrivals directly from the lock screen or notification tray. This brings Android in line with real-time interaction experiences already present in competing platforms.
The update introduces battery health tools that display charge cycle data, remaining capacity, and overall battery efficiency, helping users determine when service or replacement might be needed.
New security additions in Android 16 aim to better protect personal data. Factory Reset Protection Loop, Offline Lock, and USB data access restrictions are among the prominent tools included. Anti-scam detection and device tracking capabilities have also been strengthened.
Replacing Google Assistant, Gemini AI will offer deeper contextual understanding, more intelligent voice interactions, and integrated smart suggestions throughout the Android system.
Android 16 will be made available to a wide range of phones over time. Here’s a breakdown of initially confirmed compatible devices:
Google Pixel: Pixel 10, 9, 8, 9a, 8a, 7 series, 6 series, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet
Samsung: Galaxy S25 to S22, Z Fold 6 to 4, Z Flip 6 to 4, A73 to A24, M55 to M33, F55 to F34
OnePlus: OnePlus 13 to 10 series, Nord 4, Nord CE, and Lite models
Xiaomi: Xiaomi 15 to 13 series, Redmi K70, Note 14/13, Redmi 13 5G, 12 5G
Motorola: Edge 50/40 series, G85 to G34, Razr 50 Ultra, Razr 50
Nothing: Phone 1, 2, 2a, 3a, and Pro models
Support will expand to more brands and variants as testing and certifications proceed.
Users should expect download sizes between 1.5GB to 2.5GB. Google recommends devices have at least 3GB of free space, 50 per cent battery life, and a stable Wi-Fi connection before initiating the update.
