Following the first Android 16 Beta build, the next Android 16 Beta 2 version has now been officially released and interested users of eligible Google Pixel devices can now enroll and get the OTA update. The changelogs include new support for professional camera experiences and graphical effects; extended performance framework; and improved privacy, security, and background features.
Check out more about the latest beta build below.
Android 16 Beta 2 – Officially Released
Firstly, this Android 16 Beta 2 build focuses on providing enhanced camera features to users, and brings in new hybrid auto-exposure modes enabling users to manually control specific exposure aspects while the auto-exposure (AE) algorithm handles the rest of it. With ‘ISO + AE’ and ‘exposure time + AE’ controls, greater flexibility is offered. Furthermore, to better support professional video recording apps, fine color temperature and tint adjustments are now supported. Also, with new intent actions, motion photos can be captured much easier. UltraHDR image enhancements are also part of the camera upgrades, with HEIC file format support and added ISO 21496-1 draft standard.
More custom graphical effects with AGSL are also present in the Android 16 Beta 2 version. Complex effects like Threshold, Sepia, and Hue Saturation can now be authored and applied to draw calls with the added ‘RuntimeColorFilter’ and ‘RuntimeXfermode’. Behavior changes have also been brought, such as the edge-to-edge opt-out removal, health and fitness permissions, new job stop reason for applications, default security hardening against intent redirection attacks, deprecation and disabling of elegant font APIs, 16 KB page size compatibility, and customization of the measurement system.
Other changelogs or features are content handling for live wallpapers, headroom APIs in ADPF, key sharing API, standardized picture and audio quality framework for TVs, and more accessibility.
Speaking more, with next month’s Android 16 Beta 3 version, platform stability will be achieved, after which one more beta version – Android 16 Beta 4 will also be rolled out. As previously released, two Android API release will happen this year, with the major SDK release in Q2 2025 and a minor SDK release later in Q4 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates.
