On Thursday, Google unveiled its Android 16 Beta 4, designed specifically for developers and testers. This latest version of the tech giant’s smartphone operating system is available on Pixel devices and comes with updates aimed at resolving several issues flagged by users in prior iterations. Notable improvements address concerns such as significant power consumption, delays in haptic feedback, and functionality issues within the Pixel Weather app. Additionally, the rollout of this beta version expands support to a wider range of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), allowing more brands to adopt the update for their devices.
Android 16 Beta 4: What’s New
As outlined in Google’s release notes, Android 16 Beta 4 marks the second major platform stability milestone. This indicates that developer APIs and app-facing behaviors within the operating system are now finalized. The platform achieved stability in March, enabling developers to incorporate new features into their applications ahead of the expected full release in Q2 2025.
The fourth beta version addresses a critical issue that previously caused the radar map in the Pixel Weather app to vanish. Fixes are also included for haptic performance problems that led to vibrations feeling either weak or overly synthetic. Users experienced an unusual battery drain, with devices losing nearly 11 percent of their charge overnight, in contrast to the typical 5-7 percent decline over the same period. This issue has been rectified as well.
In addition to these key fixes, Google has reported other enhancements with the Android 16 Beta 4 update. It resolves a problem that caused devices to restart when answering a call or when magnification was activated, as well as issues arising from the use of the ranging API. Other patches include various bug fixes aimed at improving system stability and performance, addressing concerns where the launcher occasionally crashed.
The latest Android 16 Beta also widens the scope for OEM participation.
Google’s Android 16 Beta Partners
Photo Credit: Google
Brands such as Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Vivo, and Xiaomi are now able to customize the operating system for their handsets, tablets, and foldable devices. Google is planning a significant SDK release for Q2 2025, which will introduce behavior modifications, new APIs, and features, followed by a minor release with additional API updates and functionalities anticipated in Q4 2025.
