Top 5 Android 16 features you'll love right away

Android 16 is now officially available, and supported devices will soon receive the update. It's not about the big "wow" features, but rather dozens of improvements to usability, security, and privacy.

SlashGear writes about five features of Android 16 that are worth trying now.

Live Updates

Android borrows the idea of live cards with real-time statuses from iOS. You can see the progress of a taxi or delivery order right on the lock screen and in the notification shade, and you can also interact — for example, write or call the courier. At the same time, some of the features will appear later, in 2025.

Back button previews

Three-button navigation users get "predictive back": holding "Back" slightly pushes the current screen back and shows you exactly where you'll go back to. This helps avoid accidental exits. Gesture navigation doesn't yet have such a preview.

Hide OTP code texts

Android 16 can recognize sensitive notifications (including 6-digit OTPs) and hide their contents until you expand the message. The feature is enabled in "risky scenarios" — such as when you are outside your home Wi-Fi network or when the device has not been unlocked for a long time - to reduce the chance of someone else snooping on the code.

Anti-scam features

The OS blocks changing critical accessibility permissions during a phone call — a popular trick for scammers. After the call ends, the system reminds you to stop showing your screen if it was active. Filters for detecting SMS fraud have also been updated: artificial intelligence filters out typical "schematic" wording.

Added Key Verifier — checking the interlocutor's cryptographic keys to confirm that you are communicating with the person in question, and not with an impersonator. At the same time, no protection is 100% — vigilance remains necessary.

Advanced Protection security mode

The optional "safety package" is activated with one touch and combines several measures. Among them:

• Inactivity Reboot (automatic restart of a device that has not been used for three days);
• restricting interaction with new USB devices until unlocked and explicit permission to transfer files;
• blocking the installation of applications outside the Play Store;
• reducing the risk of memory corruption through Memory Tagging.

Additionally, you can prohibit 2G networks, force HTTPS in Chrome, and receive tips about possible fraudulent calls in real time. Some of the features work in Google's proprietary applications.

As a reminder, modern smartphones have taken on the roles of banks, cameras, and work tools, but it is the battery that often cannot withstand such a load. In order not to be left without communication at a critical moment, it is worth knowing simple tricks for saving battery on Android and iPhone.

We also wrote that even the latest smartphones can "freeze" and refuse to save photos due to a lack of memory. Fortunately, there are proven ways to quickly free up space without the risk of losing important files.