Google Rolls Out Android 16 Developer Preview 2 with Key Updates

The second preview introduces small but notable changes, focusing on under-the-hood improvements and minor user-facing features for Pixel devices.

Android 16 Developer Preview 2 is now available for Pixel 6 and newer devices, marking the final preview before the beta release in January 2025.
New features include an Enhanced Now Playing tool with album art display and the ability to set a default music player for recognized songs.
The update introduces a fingerprint unlock feature for Pixel 9 devices that works even when the screen is off, requiring an always-on display to function.
Other updates include a searchable native photo picker for cloud-stored images, improved haptics APIs for developers, and enhancements to adaptive refresh rates for better battery efficiency.
Google plans to release multiple beta versions starting in January, with a public rollout of Android 16 expected by mid-2025.