What's new in Android 16?
Feature improvements
After upgrading, you'll see the following improvements to the Android operating system and other apps.
Find modes in one place
Now you can find these modes in Settings > Modes:
You can also create custom modes to fit any situation where you want to choose a different set of people or apps who can interrupt you.
Toggle these modes on or off in quick settings.
Connect to Wi-fi and hotspot with one tap
If your phone and device you want to connect to its hotspot are using the same Google account, you no longer need to enter a password to connect.
Better support for low-energy audio hearing aids
You can now choose to use either your hearing aid’s built-in microphone or your phone’s microphone during voice calls. Additionally, you can adjust the volume of ambient sound captured by the hearing aid’s microphones. These options help enhance call clarity, especially in noisy environments or when your hearing aid’s battery is running low.
Other improvements
Android system upgrades add more than new features. Using the latest Android update provides other improvements such as:
- Enhanced security and protection to defend against evolving threats like malware, phishing, and data breaches
- App compatibility with newer apps, which often require the latest Android version to function correctly
- Performance improvements that optimize your phone’s operating system for smoother performance, better stability, and, in some cases, longer battery life
- Bug fixes and stability enhancements to resolve known issues and improve overall reliability and stability
Keeping Android apps updated is also important for security, performance, and functionality, as most improvements are delivered through app updates rather than Android system upgrades.