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Android 16: the definitive guide on new features and changes

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Android 16: the definitive guide on new features and changes

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:

  1. The formal standardization of mature OEM innovations, particularly from Samsung.
  2. The establishment of a new, user-accessible baseline for mobile security; and
  3. 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:

  1. 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.
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New Features and Improvements of Android 15

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New Features and Improvements of Android 15

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 and manage notification channels in Android Oreo?

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Notification channels (notification categories) in Android Oreo give you granular control of notifications.

You can manage individual channels of notifications from all apps to meet your needs.  You can use notification categories (channels) together with notification dots and notification snooze to get total control of notifications in your Android Oreo phones.

This Android Oreo guide explains what notification channels are, 3 ways to access notification categories and how to manage notification channels in Android Oreo phones.

In addition to notification management, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

What are notification channels?

When an app pushes notifications, you may want to only allow a certain type of notifications, for example, important notifications related to certain activities, to appear in the notification panel.

Prior to Android Oreo 8.0, you can enable or disable notifications for individual apps.  You can also silence notification for individual apps.

But you cannot selectively disable or enable some notifications of an app.

In Android Ore0, developers can group notifications of their apps into different notification channels (aka notification categories). You, as a user, can disable or enable individual notification channel (notification category) based on your preferences. For example, you can allow notifications from a specific notification channel to bypass do not disturb.

In a nutshell, notification channels offer granular control of notifications of individual apps. You can manage the notifications of each channel as well as of individual app.

Notification channels are enabled by individual app developers for their apps.  Apps developed for older versions of Android (API level less than 27) will not have notification channels even if your phone was updated to Android Oreo.

How to access notification channels in Android Oreo?

There are at least 3 ways to access the notification channels for individual apps:

Accessing notification channel through the Quick Settings panel or settings app

Step 1: Access the Settings menu

You can tap the settings app icon in the Home screen or Apps screen to enter phone settings.

Alternatively, you can open the quick settings panel by pulling the status bar downwards (swiping down from the status bar).

Then in the quick settings panel, tap the settings icon as shown below to access phone settings.… Read the rest

How to use notification snooze in Android Oreo?

You can snooze important notifications without dismissing them to avoid a cluttered notification panel.

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Notification snooze allows you to temporally snooze a notification and act on it later on. This is similar to snooze an alarm.

When a notification is snoozed, it is not dismissed so that it will remind you again after the snoozing period (which you can customize) expires.

This Android Oreo guide shows you how to use notification snooze in Android Oreo 8.0 and Android Oreo 8.1 to snooze notifications and adjust the snoozing duration.

In addition to notification snooze, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

In Android 12, a snooze button is added to each notifications in the notification panel so that you can quikcly snoooze any of the notifications, as explained in this guide.

What is notification snooze?

Once in a while, you may want to snooze a notification, instead of dismissing it, when you cannot handle it at that moment.

If you simply dismiss the notification, you very likely will forget it and you may miss some important events.

Notification snooze is a new feature introduced in Android Oreo 8.0. It allows you to snooze notifications to avoid notifications from cluttering in the notification panel.

At the same time, notification snooze will help you to keep the important ones.

How to use notification snooze in Android Oreo?

Notification snooze settings are integrated into the notification panel and notification channels in Android Oreo.

You can use snooze notifications directly in the notification panel.

You can also manage settings for notification snooze in the notification shade.

Please note, you cannot use notification snooze in notification dots. This means you cannot snooze notifications through notification dots menu in home screen or apps screen.

Access notification snooze icon

Notification snooze is associated with individual notifications or notification channels.

When a new notification arrives, you can then snooze it.

To access the notification snooze icon, partially slide the notification to either the right or left until a clock icon appears as shown below.

The clock icon would be accompanied by a settings (gear) icon which leads to the notifications channels and other settings.

How to access and use notification snooze in Android Oreo How to access and use notification snooze in Android Oreo

Choose duration of snooze time or cancel snooze

When you tap the clock icon, as shown above, the default snooze menu will be shown.

Tap Snoozed for 1 hour (except 1 hour area) to snooze the notification immediately for 1 hour.… Read the rest

How to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo?

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ow to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo?Notification dots (aka notification badges), a new feature in Android Oreo 8.0 (and 8.1) quickly alerts you to unattended notifications from supported apps so that you will not miss any important notifications.

In addition to notifications in the notification panel, you can now find notification dots, which represents unread notifications near corresponding app icons, in the home screen and apps screen.

This Android Oreo guide shows you how to use notification dots in Android Oreo 8.0 and Android Oreo 8.1.

In addition to notification dots, Android 11 has introduced notification history; a feature that allows users to track and access dismissed notifications on their devices. Check out this post to learn more about this new feature.

What are notification dots?

When a new notification arrives, it will be automatically shown in the notification panel.

If you clear all notifications in the notification panel, you can then only find the notification/message after you open the app.

Therefore, sometimes, you may miss some important notifications, when you accidentally clear all attended notifications and forget to open the app later.

This problem was addressed in Android Oreo 8.0 with the introduction of notification dots.

If you are a Samsung Galaxy phone users, you probably have used the number badge already. But number badge is Samsung’s proprietary implementation. Only apps that implemented some Samsung libraries will have this number badge feature.

Notification dots in Android Oreo works with all apps. Even the app was developed (targeted) for old versions of Android, Android Oreo is able to show notification dots (notification badges).

You can also customize notification dots in Android Oreo.

For example, you can enable or disable notification dots for individual apps (read on). Notification dots also work with notification channel introduced in Android Oreo.

App developers can further customize notifications to be shown in notification dots.

How to use notification dots in Android Oreo?

Notification badges only appear when you receive notifications in an app.

For example, if you receive a new SMS message, a notification dot would appear at the top right of the messages app icon as shown below.

If it is an app folder, the notification dots indicate the presence of notification badges for one or more of the apps inside the folder. You need open the folder to find out the app having unattended notifications.

How to use notification dots in Android Oreo

To see the notification, press and hold the (long press) app icon.

A pop-up (pop-out) window will appear.… Read the rest

Top 10 New Features of Android Oreo 8.0

Get to know what's new in Android Oreo 8.0

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Top 10 New Features of Android Oreo 8.0Android Oreo 8.0 (Android O) was officially released to the public on August 21, 2017. It is hailed to be much smarter, faster and efficient than its predecessors.

Most flagship Android phones released in 2018 will come with Android Oreo 8.0/8.1 pre-installed.

In addition to its revamped user interface (UI), Android Oreo 8.0 introduces many new features and improvements for all-level users.

This Android Oreo guide explains the top 10 new features of Android Oreo 8.0: PIP mode, notification dots, notification channels, notification snoozing, adaptive icons, performance improvements and battery usage optimization, smart text selection, refined Settings menu, auto-fill, new Easter egg and new emojis.

For new features in Android Oreo 8.1, please check this post.

New Features of Android Oreo 8.0 #1: Picture-in-Picture mode (PIP)

PIP is one of Android 8.0’s most prominent features.

PIP is a special multi-window mode mostly used for video playback. This is similar to pop-up view in Samsung’s multiwindow mode.

Picture-in-Picture mode was previously introduced to Android TV with stock Android,  but not on mobile.

Unlike the split screen mode in Android Nougat, PIP allows you to continue watching videos in a separate small floating window while using other apps at the same time. In other words, you can watch videos and use other apps at the same time. More apps will support this feature.

To use PIP mode, you need to start by playing a video in a video player or on Youtube. Then, press the home button on the navigation bar. The video would appear as a small floating window. You can relocate the video window and further adjust the size of the floating window according to your preference.

You may check this How to use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo 8.0 and 8.1? guide, if you want to know how to use PIP mode in detail.

New Features of Android Oreo 8.0 #2: Notification Dots

Notification dots will appear on the top right corner app icons whenever you receive a notification from the app.  Notification dots remain there until you read it or dismiss the notifications.

You can tap the notification dots to quickly see the notifications waiting for your action.

This Android Oreo feature is similar to number badges feature in Samsung phones. Unlike the number badge in Samsung, notification dots do not show the exact number of notification.

If you want to know about notification dots or want to use it, please check How to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo page.… Read the rest