Android 16 updates bring new AI and safety features

Google announced a host of Android 16 updates on Tuesday, signaling a strategic shift from annual major releases to more regular feature drops. Initially available on Pixel devices, the update concentrates on AI utility and customization.

Major Android 16 features include AI-powered notification summaries that reduce long messages and a “Notification organizer” that automatically silences low-priority alerts, such as promotions. Users get more aesthetic control with custom icon shapes and the power to force-darken light apps. Additionally, a new Parental Controls hub in Settings lets you manage screen time and downtime schedules.

Google also announced some general Android features that are not exclusively tied to version 16. A new beta feature, “Call Reason,” allows users to mark calls as “urgent” for their contacts. Additionally, “Expressive Captions” will introduce emotion tags, such as [joyful], to subtitles, providing context when the sound is turned off. Safety updates now notify users when unknown numbers add them to group chats, giving them quick options to block or leave the chat.

Android 16’s Functionality updates include Chrome Pinned tabs that now mirror desktop behavior and an upgrade to “Circle to Search,” which can now interpret messages to detect possible scams.

Improvements in accessibility are vital. The Pixel camera’s “Guided Frame” now offers detailed audio descriptions of various scenes, going beyond just faces. Additionally, Voice Access can be activated hands-free by saying “Hey Google,” and Fast Pair support has been introduced for select hearing aids.