Google is pushing its new Android design language out to the world in this new version of the Android 16 beta.
This version is called the QPR1 Beta and it’s only coming to Pixel phones so far. This stands for Quarterly Platform Releases and these often include more substantial changes to Android than the smaller bug fixes you might see each month.
A look at notifications on Android 16. It comes together more in motion and with haptics.
While this new change doesn’t add that much, you will see the new Material Expressive notifications shade, quick settings, app drawer and your home screen. Overall, there is an increased level of usability this update brings to simple things like the Settings app by making it easier to navigate.
Other changes like the app drawer and notifications area will be more divisive. That being said, this is still a beta and Google has a good history of iterating on big changes that are unliked as it gets closer to release. However, I’d make sure you live with the new design for a few days to see if you get used to it. If you want to give feedback to the company you can learn how to provide it on the Android Developers website.
That same site is how you can join the beta program. Just visit it on the Pixel phone you want to install the software on and there will be an area in the middle of the page to opt-in. The update should appear once you opt-in on your phone of choice. It might take up to an hour, but when I tried, it took less than five minutes.
Below is a gallery comparing some changes between Android 15 and 16. The new version is on the right and has brighter green backgrounds.
Source: Android Developers
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