Second Android 16 beta update is here with more pro-grade camera features

Android 16 Beta 2 update brings more pro-grade camera features

The Android 16 Beta 2 update is now available for compatible Pixel phones (Pixel 6 and newer) and tablets (Pixel Tablet). The update brings the following features:

• Camera Hybrid Auto-Exposure: Android 16 now supports hybrid auto-exposure on cameras via the Camera2 API. It allows third-party apps to control some aspects of the exposure while leaving the rest on the auto-exposure algorithm. With this feature, apps will allow users to control auto-exposure and ISO or auto-exposure and exposure time.

• Camera Color Temperature, Tint Adjustments: Fine adjustments to color temperature and tint can make professional-grade video recording apps more effective.
• Edge-To-Edge Apps: With Android 16, apps will be displayed from edge to edge on the screen, and developers cannot opt out of this.
• Improved Audio-Video Framework For TVs: Apps can access audio and video profiles and hardware capabilities. After accessing relevant information, apps can dynamically change audio and video profiles to offer the best possible experience.
• Live Wallpaper Improvements: Android 16 allows a Live Wallpaper to present itself in a better way in case it has different or unique content for the home screen compared to the lock screen.
• Measurement System Settings: Users can customize the measurement systems (such as inch for length and °C for temperature) on their phone. Even if they set their phone's language to English (US), they can change their measurement settings.
• Motion Photo Capture: Android 16 supports a standard way of capturing and displaying Motion Photos using the device's camera.

• Power Button Double Press Gesture For Wallet: Android 16 can launch a mobile payment/wallet app by double-pressing the power button. For Pixel phones, the action can launch Google Wallet. Samsung could use the feature to let users launch the Samsung Wallet app.

• Ultra HDR Improvements: With Android 14, Google introduced Ultra HDR for capturing images and videos with a wider (than standard) dynamic range. With Android 16, the company is bringing improvements to Ultra HDR. It now supports capturing Ultra HDR images in the HEIC format. Earlier, it was limited to the JPG file format. Google is also working on AVIF file format support for Ultra HDR images. Android 16 also supports additional HDR parameters, including the ability to set and get colorspace in which the gain map should be added. It also supports HDR images and SDR gain maps.

When will stable Android 16 be released?

Google plans to release the stable version of Android 16 in late Q2 2025, which means it will likely arrive sometime in June 2025. That will be just a few weeks after Samsung releases the stable One UI 7.0 update for Galaxy phones and tablets.

If Samsung's stable One UI 7.0 release timeline is truly delayed, as rumored, to May 2025, we worry that the One UI 8.0 (Android 16) update will also be severely delayed, as Google is preparing to release Android 16 earlier than previous versions of Android.