Google Releases Android 16 Developer Preview 2

Google today announced the availability of Android 16 Developer Preview 2 with app, performance, and battery life improvements. As suggested by the name, this milestone targets developers, not end users.

“The second developer preview of Android 16 is now available to test with your apps,” Google vice president Matthew McCullough writes in the announcement post. “This build includes changes designed to enhance the app experience, improve battery life, and boost performance while minimizing incompatibilities, and your feedback is critical in helping us understand the full impact of this work.”

As you may recall, Googe announced a major shift in the Android development schedule in early November, with each major release starting with Android 16 arriving by mid-year instead of the end of Q3. It then delivered the first Android 16 developer preview in late November, about a month ago.

Android 16 Developer Preview 2 includes support for more complex haptics effects, improved job introspection and runtime capabilities, better support for adaptive refresh rate, an improved photo picker with cloud support, and new predictive back animations. There are also improvements to security related to Wi-Fi and encryption.

Google plans to release the first Android 16 beta in January and should hit platform stability in late Q1 2025. “As we reach our Beta releases, we’ll be inviting consumers to try Android 16 as well, and we’ll open up enrollment for Android 16 in the Android Beta program at that time,” McCullough notes.

As with previous Android pre-release milestones, Android 16 Developer Preview 2 is available on all supported Pixels–including the Pixel 6 and 7 series, thanks to a recent support lifecycle change–and in emulation via the latest preview of Android Studio Ladybug feature drop. Those testing the latest quarterly updated to Android 15–called QPR2 Beta–can flash their devices to Android 16 Developer Preview 2 without wiping them first, Google says.

You can learn more on the Android Developer website.