navigation button

Android 16: the definitive guide on new features and changes

Last updated on: August 17, 2025, first published on: August 17, 2025 Leave a Comment

Officially released on June 10, 2025, Android 16 moves beyond incremental feature additions to address long-standing structural challenges within the Android ecosystem, most notably platform fragmentation and the inconsistent user experience on large-screen devices.

The Android 16 release is defined by three core strategic pillars:

The formal standardization of mature OEM innovations, particularly from Samsung.
The establishment of a new, user-accessible baseline for mobile security; and
A concerted effort to refine and unify the core user experience across different device form factors.

This Android 16 guide explains all the new features and improvements in Android 16 for both users and developers. As some of the new features, e.g., Desktop Windowing and Live Updates, have already been presented in Samsung’s Galaxy devices for a long time, this guide also tries to explain the origin of the new features and their possible connection with Samsung.

For developers, Android 16 introduces a dual-pronged approach. On one hand, it imposes stricter mandates for app adaptability on large screens, effectively ending the era of letterboxed phone apps on tablets. On the other hand, it provides a more agile and predictable development cadence through a new Major/Minor SDK release model, decoupling disruptive platform changes from the rapid introduction of new APIs.

From a user perspective, the Android 16 update delivers significant enhancements in productivity, security, and accessibility. The introduction of a native desktop mode, a more organized and actionable notification system, and a comprehensive, one-tap security suite called Advanced Protection Mode are standout features. Concurrently, Google continues to delineate the AOSP platform from its own Pixel experience, reserving its most advanced AI-driven features as exclusive differentiators for its hardware, while contributing the foundational OS improvements to the broader community.

Android 16 Platform Architecture: New SDK Release Model ( Major and Minor Releases)

The most impactful architectural change for the developer community is the formalization of a new, dual-track Software Development Kit (SDK) release model. This new structure fundamentally alters how the Android platform evolves throughout the year, aiming to balance stability with rapid innovation.

The new model consists of two distinct release types:

Major SDK Release: This is the traditional, annual platform update, exemplified by the June 2025 launch of Android 16. Critically, this is the only release within a year that will introduce planned, app-impacting behavior changes. These are the changes that require developers to update their application’s targetSdkVersion to support, ensuring compatibility with new platform security and privacy enforcements.

… Read the rest

New Features and Improvements of Android 15

Last updated on: August 3, 2025, first published on: July 6, 2025 Leave a Comment

The annual release of a new Android version has evolved from a spectacle of sweeping visual change to a more nuanced and architecturally significant event. Android 15, codenamed “Vanilla Ice Cream,” epitomizes this evolution. It is not a release defined by a dramatic user interface overhaul but rather by a profound maturation of the underlying platform.

This Android 15 guide provides an exhaustive technical analysis of new features and improvements of Android 15, revealing a strategic focus on three core pillars: fortifying privacy and security with proactive, system-integrated defenses; optimizing foundational performance for next-generation hardware; and refining the user experience for an increasingly diverse array of form factors.

This post will dissect the core AOSP features, clarify the often-confused line between platform and Pixel-specific enhancements, and provide a comparative look at how major OEMs are leveraging this new foundation to forge their unique identities.

Update: You may try the Android 15 Easter Egg game: Landroid.

I. Privacy and Security: Foundational Enhancements of Android 15

Android 15 represents a significant escalation in the platform’s commitment to user privacy and device security. The approach moves beyond reactive measures and user-configured settings to bake proactive, intelligent defenses directly into the operating system’s fabric. These enhancements address modern threats ranging from data snooping to sophisticated physical theft, establishing a new baseline for the entire Android ecosystem.

1. Private Space in Android 15: Standardizing the Digital Safe

For years, users seeking to wall off sensitive applications and data have relied on third-party apps or OEM-specific solutions, most notably Samsung’s popular “Secure Folder” or Dual Messenger. With Android 15, this capability is no longer a manufacturer’s perk but a fundamental platform guarantee.

The introduction of Private Space creates a native, OS-level sandboxed environment where users can install and operate apps in complete isolation from the main user profile.

This private space is protected by an additional layer of authentication—either the device lock or a unique PIN/password—and can even be configured to be completely hidden from the app drawer and settings, leaving no visible trace of its existence. When a user installs an app within Private Space in Android 15, the system creates a fresh copy; no data or accounts are shared with the same app in the main profile. When the space is locked, its underlying profile is paused, rendering the apps within it completely inactive. They cannot run in the background, receive notifications, or be seen in the recent apps view, effectively vanishing from the system until the user authenticates and unlocks the space again.… Read the rest

How to use navigation gestures in Android 10?

A definite guide for Android 10 navigation gestures

Last updated on: March 7, 2020, first published on: December 13, 2019 Leave a Comment

Android 10 brings a new (and improved) set of navigation gestures for you to use the phone more effectively and intuitively.

In addition to using the traditional 3 navigation buttons, and the 2-button navigation gestures as in Android Pie, you can now use gestures only without using any buttons in Android 10.

This Android 10 guide explains the new features of the Android 10 navigation gestures, how to enable them and how to use them.

What’s new in Android 10 navigation gestures?

Previously in Android Pie (Android 9), navigation buttons (3 or 2) are found at the bottom of the screen. Now in Android 10, navigation gestures can fully replace the navigation buttons.

This means that if navigation gestures are enabled, the Home, Back, and Recents (Overview) buttons located at the bottom of the screen, seen below, will be gone.

How to enable navigation gesture in Android 10?

If you upgraded the phone to Android 10, very likely, the original navigation buttons will likely be used by default.

In this case, you need to follow the following steps to enable the Android 10 navigation gestures.

Step 1: Open Settings

To access Settings, as shown below, tap on the Settings icon in the Apps screen (App drawer), or Home screen, or through the quick settings panel.

Step 2: Access System settings

In Settings, scroll down and tap on System, as shown below.

Step 3: Access Gestures settings

In the System settings page, tap on Gestures, as seen below.

Step 4: Access System navigation page

In the System settings page, tap on System navigation, as shown below.

Step 5: Enable Gesture navigation

In the System navigation page, there will be the option to change the phone’s system navigation. Tap on Gesture navigation to enable it.

Additionally, you can change the sensitivity of the back gesture by tapping on the settings icon as seen below.

This adjusts how sensitive the phone will respond to gestures along the screen edge and hence prevent any accidental gestures along the screen edge.

How to use Navigation Gestures in Android 10?

Here are the 10 operations you need to master when switching to the new navigation gestures.

1. Returning to Home Screen (Home Screen) — Swipe upwards

To exit from an application and return to the Home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, as shown below.

This has the same function as tapping the Home button in the previous version of Android (0r if you switch back to navigation buttons).… Read the rest

Top 10 new features of Android 10

Last updated on: June 21, 2022, first published on: September 13, 2019 Leave a Comment

Android 10 is the first Android release without a desert name. But this does not prevent Google from adding many new features of Android 10.

This Android 10 guide explains the top 10 new features you can enjoy on your Android phones with Android 10 update. These new features include the dark mode, Live Caption, new navigation gestures, all sensors off, critical update from Google directly, focus mode, emergency button, privacy control, location access controls, and WiFi sharing.

Dark mode: the best Android 10 new feature

The dark mode is not new.

In Android Pie (Android 9), Google added the dark mode (dark theme). But it is only system-wide.

For example, the Settings page in Android Pie is still always white even you enable the dark mode on the phone.

As a new feature of Android 10, Dark mode is now system-wide, and Google leaves no stone unturned.

All system pages, including the Settings page, will use the dark theme once you enable the dark mode on Android 10.

You can enable/disable dark mode from Settings — Display — Display– Dark theme on Android 10.

By default, Google also added a quick setting button for the dark mode as shown below.

Please check this guide on how to use the new dark mode (dark theme) on Android 10.

Live Caption

The Live Caption can automagically caption any videos, podcasts, and audio messages with one tap.

Internet connection is not needed. Everything will be done locally on the phone.

So, many users think the Live Caption is one of the most practical new features in Android 10.

But this feature is not available in Android 10 now. Google said it would be released later, very likely with the release of Pixel 4.

Pixel phones will first get this feature through a firmware update. Other Android phones will get this feature early next year through Google’s udpate.

New Navigation Gestures on Android 10

Android 10 now allows you to eliminate the navigation buttons.

In Android Pie, you still have the Home and Back buttons when using the navigation gestures as explained in detail in this guide.

In Android 10, Home, Back, and Recents (Overview) buttons are all gone if you choose to use the new navigation gestures.

Probably navigation gesture is one of the most controversial new features of Android 10.

Anyway, if you choose to use “full” navigation gestures on Android 10, you need to know these Android 10 navigation gestures (you may check this table and this table for the complete list of Android 10 navigation gestures):

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to Home screen.

… Read the rest

How to use overview selection in Android Pie?

Last updated on: June 2, 2019, first published on: June 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

You can use overview selection in Android to quickly select text and images and share and use them without leaving the overview screen.

This Android Pie guide explains what overview selection in Android Pie is and steps of using this feature.

Please note, overview selection currently is only implemented in the Pixel launcher and works only on Pixel phones (all 3 generations).

What is overview selection in Android Pie?

Overview selection in Android Pie allows you to select text or images from the overview screen directly. You can then paste or share the selected text or images.

Some actions, for example, calling or messaging may also be provided in the overview screen.

For images, Google Lens can be fired to check the image details, in addition to sharing the picture.

The most interesting feature is that the overview selection is not constrained by apps.

For example, you cannot copy some texts like the navigation menu inside the app. Some apps may do not allow you to copy their contents in the browser of the app. But now, in the overview screen, you can copy ALL text as long as they appear on the overview screen.

Of course, as a security feature, some banking apps do not show any contents in the overview screen. In this case, you cannot copy.

The bottom line is that you can copy and share whatever you can see in the overview screen of the app.

In a nutshell, overview selection in Android Pie is an application of smart selection in the overview screen.

Steps of using overview selection in Android Pie

You may follow these steps to use overview selection in Android Pie.

Step 1: Enable overview selection

By default, overview selection is enabled in Android Pie on all Pixel phones.

In case you disabled it, you need to enable this feature before proceed.

As shown in the screenshot below, you can tap and hold (aka long tap) any blank area on the home screen, then tap Home settings.

In the Home screen settings, tap Suggestions as shown above.

Now, you can enable Overview selection as shown below.

Of course, you can also disable it if you want.

Please note. the switch on the right side (and in blue) means the feature is enabled.

Step 2: Navigate to the overview screen

You can tap the Recents button to navigate to the Recents screen as shown above.… Read the rest

How to use the Android Pie navigation gestures?

Last updated on: June 2, 2019, first published on: January 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

Android Pie (Android 9) introduced a set of new navigation gestures to replace the navigation buttons. Of course, there are many new features in Android Pie as explained in this guide.

If you just switched to Android from iPhone, you will get used to these Android Pie navigation gestures very quickly. But if you prefer the three navigation buttons, you need some time to adjust.

This Android Pie guide explains how to enable Android Pie navigation gestures, how to disable them, how to use them, and answer some questions you may have on Android Pie gestures.

Background of Android Pie navigation gestures

In Android OS, the navigation buttons had been an essential part. Since Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS, Android 4.0), on-screen navigation buttons (software based navigation button) has been introduced to replace the hardware capacitive buttons.

Although Google wanted to kill the hardware buttons in Android (FYI, all Google released phones including Nexus and Pixel phones only use on-screen navigation buttons), Android manufacturers, especially Samsung, are slow to move in this direction. For example, Samsung only started to remove the hardware buttons in Galaxy S8 and S8+ in 2017.

For new smartphone users and old people, the navigation buttons (hardware or on-screen) are very useful and intuitive.

But for experienced users and younger generations, gestures can be more productive.

In Android 9, Google decided to add navigation gestures to partially replace the on-screen navigation buttons.

Of course, the Android Pie navigation gesture is not a complete replacement to the old navigation buttons because:

Android Pie navigation gestures still need the home button. The back button will also appear automatically whenever necessary.
Android manufacturers can always customize the gestures, or even disable them and use the old 3 navigation buttons.

In the future Android releases (e.g., Android Q), very likely, Google will strengthen and navigation gestures. In fact, in Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, the old navigation buttons were disabled, and owners have to use the Android Pie navigation gestures.

What are the Android Pie navigation gestures?

Android Pie navigation gestures are all based on the home button. Here is the list of supported gestures:

Swipe upwards from the home button to see recent apps. This is equivalent to tapping the Recent/overview button in the old 3-button system.
Swipe right from the home button to switch to the previous app. In the old 3-button system, you need to get this in two steps: tap the Recent/Overview button, then tap the icon in the overview screen.

… Read the rest

navigation button

Android 16: the definitive guide on new features and changes

Android 16 Platform Architecture: New SDK Release Model ( Major and Minor Releases)

How to use navigation gestures in Android 10?

A definite guide for Android 10 navigation gestures

What’s new in Android 10 navigation gestures?