Android 16 DP2: Enhanced App Experience, Battery, and Performance

Android 16 Developer Preview 2: Enhanced App Experience and Performance

Google has launched Android 16 Developer Preview 2 (DP2) for Pixel devices, focusing on app experience, battery life, and performance enhancements. Key improvements include richer haptics, easier adaptive refresh rate utilization, cloud search in the system photo picker, a new ACTIVITY_INTENSITY data type in Health Connect, and predictive back system animations for gesture navigation. This update follows the recent release of Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2. For more details on installing developer previews, refer to our guide on installing Android developer previews.

Key Features of Android 16 DP2:

• Richer Haptics: New APIs empower apps to create more complex and nuanced haptic feedback.
• Adaptive Refresh Rate: DP2 simplifies the implementation of adaptive refresh rates for improved power efficiency and smoother visuals. This builds upon features introduced in Android 15, which you can learn more about in our coverage of Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2.
• Cloud Search in Photo Picker: Enables cloud-based photo searching within apps and for users.
• Health Connect Updates: Introduces a new data type for activity intensity.
• Predictive Back Animations: Improves the fluidity of gesture navigation.

Android 16 DP2 is available for a wide range of Pixel devices, from the Pixel 6 to the latest Pixel Fold. While this preview is intended for developers, the Android 16 Beta Program will launch next month. Users already on DP1 will receive an OTA update. Those currently on Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2 can also flash DP2 without wiping their devices. For insights into upcoming OS updates, check out our article on iOS 18's battery intelligence.