Google is testing a new launch animation for the Gemini overlay with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2. It also suggests the missing vibration is just a bug.
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Google is rolling out Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 for Pixel devices today following last month’s big Material 3 Expressive redesign.
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With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, it’s slightly easier to manage ongoing calls, including Gemini Live, from the status bar chip.
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With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, the Pixel Launcher search bar is getting a redesign to match the Google app’s updated homescreen widget.
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The first beta release of Android 16 QPR1 rolled out a redesigned lock screen with a “seen notifications” section. That newly introduced UI element has now been made a little bit better in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.
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Google kicked off the rollout of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 yesterday, but Pixel owners looking to skip the lengthy on-device OTA installation are still waiting for sideloading files to become available.
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Besides Connected displays support, Beta 2 of Android 16 QPR1 is focussed on refining Material 3 Expressive, including the volume and brightness sliders.
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Android’s status bar got a fresh coat of paint with Material 3 Expressive, but the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta swaps the position of the Wi-Fi and network icons.
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A couple of changes have been made to the Android wallpaper selector in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, including the addition of a recent photos section and a new “Live effects” category.
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One small tweak in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 sees the new Google ‘G’ logo come to the Pixel Launcher search bar.
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Google has delivered on Android 16’s new desktop mode in the latest QPR1 beta and, while it’s mostly broken, you can experience it now on select Pixel devices.
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Android 16 has already shown that UI elements are going to get some serious design changes. The Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 targets the sound and vibration menu, and it’s a little louder, visually.
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While the stable build of Android 16 is not yet available, the major QPR1 update is already available in beta, bringing the big Material 3 Expressive redesign along with it. Here’s how to install Android 16 QPR1 Beta on Google Pixel.
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Following last month’s big redesign, Google today is rolling out QPR1 Beta 2 to Pixel devices. Notably, this release features a developer preview of “enhanced” Android desktop experiences with connected displays.
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Following the initial release at I/O 2025 two weeks ago, Google is rolling out Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1.1 as a bug fixer for Pixel devices.
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Following The Android Show announcement, Google is rolling out Advanced Protection to Android 16 Beta 4.1 and 16 QPR1 Beta 1 on Pixel devices.
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The big Material 3 Expressive redesign we’ve waiting for is here with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 for Pixel today.
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Google’s work on an Android desktop mode continues with desktop windowing coming to external displays with an upcoming Android 16 QPR1 Beta.
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Android 16 QPR1 has just been released, and for all of the welcome design language changes and UI adjustments, there’s one small bug. The bug causes new apps not to be added to the home screen, even if the settings say otherwise.
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Google has been working on support for Bluetooth’s Auracast function in Android for a while now, and now “Audio Sharing” has returned, hopefully for good, in Android 16 QPR1.
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Among the many visual updates in Android 16, there are also some functional changes, including the return of a one-tap Do Not Disturb function in the Quick Settings.
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With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, Google has redesigned the volume slider and panel, while the media player sees small tweaks.
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Google has been working on a “desktop mode” for Android 16 for a while now and at Google I/O’s developer talks, the company confirmed that these improvements have arrived in part thanks to Samsung DeX.
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Google Pixel phones are picking up a new customization option for wallpapers, with “Effects” in Android 16 able to turn a wallpaper into a specific shape and color style, as well as applying weather effects on top.
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