While Samsung still hasn't released the stable version of Android 15 (One UI 7.0) to its phones, Google has already released the second Developer Preview of Android 16. The first Developer Preview version was released a few weeks ago, and the stable version is expected to be released in mid-2025.
Android 16 Developer Preview 2 update released, brings some UI changes and features
The Android 16 Developer Preview 2 update, which was released yesterday, brings not only bug fixes but some new features and UI improvements. The new features include an adaptive refresh rate, improved haptics (vibration feedback), predictive back animation improvements, Health Connect updates, and cloud search in Photo Picker.
Adaptive refresh rate, which was introduced in Android 15, allows the refresh rate to adapt to the content on the screen on supported hardware using discrete VSync steps. This is more advanced than mode-switching, which is how the refresh rate is changed currently. VSync saves more power and reduces jank.
Improved haptics on Android 16 allow phones with advanced haptic modules to change and define the amplitude and frequency curves of haptic feedback.
Predictive Back animation improvements in Android 16 bring several new APIs that allow OEMs or developers to fine-tune back gesture animations. For example, they can fine-tune back-to-home animation. All of this means smoother transitions while switching between apps, going to the home screen, and going back and forth between screens of an app.
Health Connect, which is co-developed by Google and Samsung, manages the flow and storage of health-related data between apps, devices, and services. With Android 16, Health Connect has new APIs to detect the intensity of an activity or workout, and it is based on the World Health Organization's guidelines. It brings higher workout tracking accuracy to apps.
Google has also added the Health Records feature to Health Connect. This feature allows apps to read and write a user's medical records in FHIR format after their consent.
The centralized Photo Picker in Android, introduced last year, now has a way to search for images and videos that are stored on the cloud. For example, you can search for a person's name or location on photos stored in Google Photos while picking images or videos.
These are the user-facing changes in Android 16. Google has also added more developer-oriented features that help apps and games work smoothly. You can read more about them here.
Google says it will release another minor update to Android 16 in the fourth quarter of next year. Since the first stable version of Android 16 is to be released in the second quarter of 2025, Samsung could release the stable Android 16 update to select Galaxy devices in the third quarter of next year.
