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In the present day we’re bringing you Android 16 beta 4, the final scheduled replace in our Android 16 beta program. Make sure that your app or sport is prepared. It is also the final probability to offer us suggestions earlier than Android 16 is launched.
Android 16 Beta 4
That is our second platform stability launch; the developer APIs and all app-facing behaviors are last. Apps focusing on Android 16 might be made accessible in Google Play. Beta 4 contains our newest fixes and optimizations, providing you with the whole lot it’s essential full your testing. Head over to our Android 16 abstract web page for a listing of the options and habits adjustments we have been overlaying on this sequence of weblog posts, or learn on for among the high adjustments of which you need to be conscious.
Now accessible on extra units
The Android 16 Beta is now accessible on handset, pill, and foldable kind elements from companions together with Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, vivo, and Xiaomi. With extra Android 16 companions and gadget varieties, many extra customers can run your app on the Android 16 Beta.
Get your apps, libraries, instruments, and sport engines prepared!
In the event you develop an SDK, library, device, or sport engine, it is much more necessary to arrange any crucial updates now to stop your downstream app and sport builders from being blocked by compatibility points and permit them to focus on the newest SDK options. Please let your builders know if updates to your SDK are wanted to totally help Android 16.
Testing includes putting in your manufacturing app or a take a look at app making use of your library or engine utilizing Google Play or different means onto a tool or emulator operating Android 16 Beta 4. Work by way of all of your app’s flows and search for purposeful or UI points. Overview the habits adjustments to focus your testing. Every launch of Android incorporates platform adjustments that enhance privateness, safety, and general consumer expertise, and these adjustments can have an effect on your apps. Listed here are a number of adjustments to give attention to that apply, even in case you aren’t but focusing on Android 16:
- Broadcasts: Ordered broadcasts utilizing priorities solely work throughout the identical course of. Use different IPC in case you want cross-process ordering.
- ART: In the event you use reflection, JNI, or some other means to entry Android internals, your app would possibly break. That is by no means a greatest apply. Check totally.
- 16KB Web page Dimension: In case your app is not 16KB-page-size prepared, you should use the new compatibility mode flag, however we advocate migrating to 16KB for greatest efficiency.
Different adjustments that might be impactful as soon as your app targets Android 16:
Get your app prepared for the long run:
- Native community safety: Contemplate testing your app with the upcoming Native Community Safety characteristic. It can give customers extra management over which apps can entry units on their native community in a future Android main launch.
Keep in mind to totally train libraries and SDKs that your app is utilizing throughout your compatibility testing. You could must replace to present SDK variations or attain out to the developer for assist in case you encounter any points.
When you’ve printed the Android 16-compatible model of your app, you can begin the method to replace your app’s targetSdkVersion. Overview the habits adjustments that apply when your app targets Android 16 and use the compatibility framework to assist rapidly detect points.
Two Android API releases in 2025
This Beta is for the subsequent main launch of Android with a deliberate launch in Q2 of 2025 and we plan to have one other launch with new developer APIs in This fall. This Q2 main launch would be the solely launch in 2025 that features habits adjustments that might have an effect on apps. The This fall minor launch will choose up characteristic updates, optimizations, and bug fixes; like our non-SDK quarterly releases, it is not going to embrace any intentional app-breaking habits adjustments.
We’ll proceed to have quarterly Android releases. The Q1 and Q3 updates present incremental updates to make sure steady high quality. We’re placing further vitality into working with our gadget companions to convey the Q2 launch to as many units as potential.
There’s no change to the goal API stage necessities and the related dates for apps in Google Play; our plans are for one annual requirement every year, tied to the most important API stage.
Get began with Android 16
You may enroll any supported Pixel gadget to get this and future Android Beta updates over-the-air. In the event you don’t have a Pixel gadget, you may use the 64-bit system photographs with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. In case you are presently on Android 16 Beta 3 or are already within the Android Beta program, you may be supplied an over-the-air replace to Beta 4.
Whereas the API and behaviors are last and we’re very near launch, we might nonetheless such as you to report points on the suggestions web page. The sooner we get your suggestions, the higher probability we’ll have the ability to handle it on this or a future launch.
For one of the best growth expertise with Android 16, we advocate that you just use the newest Canary construct of Android Studio Narwhal. When you’re arrange, listed here are among the issues it is best to do:
- Compile in opposition to the brand new SDK, take a look at in CI environments, and report any points in our tracker on the suggestions web page.
We’ll replace the beta system photographs and SDK repeatedly all through the Android 16 launch cycle. When you’ve put in a beta construct, you’ll robotically get future updates over-the-air for all later previews and Betas.
For full info on Android 16 please go to the Android 16 developer web site.