Android 16

AppWizard
August 2, 2026
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra offers seven years of updates, ensuring support until at least 2032. It features a 14.6-inch AMOLED display, 120 Hz refresh rate, 1,600 nits peak brightness, 12 MP front camera, dual rear cameras (13 MP wide and 8 MP ultrawide), and an 11,600 mAh battery with 45 W fast charging. The tablet was launched in 2025 at ,200 and is now available for ,095 on Amazon. The Honor MagicPad4 provides six years of OS and security updates, launched in early 2026, with a 12.3-inch OLED display, 165 Hz refresh rate, and 2,400 nits peak brightness. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip and starts at £599.99 in the U.K. The Google Pixel Tablet, released in mid-2023, initially promised three years of OS updates and five years of security updates, which were extended in 2026 to five years of OS updates. It features a 10.95-inch IPS display and a Tensor G2 processor. The OnePlus Pad Go 2 offers five years of major Android updates and six years of security updates, running on OxygenOS 16. It has a 12.1-inch IPS display and is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra chip. It was launched at a starting price of 9. The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro debuted in 2026 with four Android OS updates and six years of security updates. It features an 11.2-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and runs on Android 16 with Xiaomi's HyperOS 3 interface, starting at approximately €499 in Europe.
BetaBeacon
July 24, 2026
The Red Magic Astra 2 tablet is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, up to 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. It features a 9-inch 2.4K OLED display with a 185 Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The tablet includes a liquid cooling system to manage heat buildup during intensive use. It can emulate PC games locally, supports external peripherals, and offers customization options for a complete gaming experience. The tablet excels in delivering high-performance gaming but may experience thermal throttling during extended sessions.
AppWizard
July 23, 2026
On July 23, 2026, the stock Android Clock app on Google Pixel devices was updated to version v9.0, which includes a new feature called "Live Updates" that provides time-sensitive notifications in the status bar and lock screen. This feature is enabled by default upon updating.
AppWizard
July 21, 2026
Google is developing a feature for its Gboard app called "Sign-to-text," which aims to convert sign language into written text using the user's camera and AI technology. This feature is designed for users who communicate using sign language, enhancing accessibility. The feature was found in the code of a recent Gboard update, indicating that Google is exploring its feasibility. Additionally, Android 16 has improved accessibility for hearing aid users by introducing Fast Pair support for easier connectivity and allowing adjustments for call audio and hearing aid volume.
AppWizard
July 19, 2026
The demand for faster typing on smartphones has increased, particularly for professionals, students, and interns. Swipe typing, also known as Glide Typing on Gboard, allows users to glide their finger across the keyboard without lifting it for each letter, significantly enhancing typing speed. To use this method on a Google Pixel 8 with Android 16 and Gboard, users should tap on a text box, slide their finger across the keyboard, and lift it only when finishing a word. For Samsung Keyboard users, Swype mode must be enabled in the settings. Gboard's swipe typing feature becomes more intelligent with use, providing word suggestions and allowing users to teach it new words. This feature is effective in multiple languages, including Urdu, and can also be used on Wear OS smartwatches. Although there may be an initial learning curve, swipe typing can greatly improve typing efficiency and is often met with curiosity from others.
BetaBeacon
July 8, 2026
The REDMAGIC Astra 2 features a 9.06-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2.4K, a refresh rate of 185Hz, and a peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits. The tablet is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and the REDMAGIC RedCore R4 gaming chip. The device also includes visible liquid cooling, Liquid Metal 3.0, and a large vapor chamber for heat management. The global model is listed with 75W charging, while the domestic model in China has 80W charging.
AppWizard
July 8, 2026
LineageOS has released its "Summertime updates," introducing a new browser-based flashing tool for installing LineageOS directly from web browsers, supporting Fastboot, ADB, and Samsung’s Odin protocol. The Updater app has been redesigned with a Material 3 aesthetic and now displays the Android Security Bulletin (ASB) level for each update. The update process has been optimized to stream A/B OTA packages by default. LineageOS has adapted to Google’s Android 16 security patching model, focusing on quarterly releases while continuing to test and integrate monthly security patches. Development on LineageOS 24 has begun following the release of Android 17. The default Gallery app has been enhanced with features like Motion Photos and improved video playback, while other applications such as Seedvault, Etar Calendar, and the Twelve music player have also been updated. The update expands LineageOS support to new devices from Samsung, Motorola, Sony, and Xiaomi, with a full compatibility list available in the official announcement.
AppWizard
July 7, 2026
Google has discontinued its Pixel Studio image generation feature. Pixel phone users can still create custom stickers using the Google Photos app and other alternatives like the Gemini app and WhatsApp. To create a sticker in Google Photos, users need to locate an image, open a chat in Google Messages, tap the smiley face icon, select Photomoji, and send the sticker. The Gemini app allows users to transform images into stickers by providing specific instructions, though the output will have an opaque background. In WhatsApp, users can convert images into stickers by selecting the stickers option and tapping the "create sticker" button. Users are advised to update their phones and applications for the latest features.
AppWizard
July 7, 2026
Nothing has launched the Phone 4b, featuring a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip, an upgraded Glyph Interface, and the largest battery yet from the brand. The phone has a 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a 5,200mAh battery, IP64 durability, and a transparent design. It includes a 50MP OIS main camera, ultrawide lens, Ultra XDR processing, and 4K video recording. The Phone 4b runs on Android 16 with unique interface enhancements and offers three years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches. A limited edition Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Edition will also be available. The starting price is £299 (€329) for the model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Search