Android 16 (Baklava)
ndroid 16, also chilling with the code-name Baklava, is nearly cooked, folks. And check it: you just barely finished installing the Android 15 update. Typical Google, right? They’re keeping us on our toes, and frankly, I’m here for it.
In this deep dive, we’re ripping the lid off every new feature we’ve spotted in Android 16 so far—we’re talking the headliners and the sneaky little tweaks. Plus, we’re diving straight into the juicy rumors and leaks that have been dug up from deep inside the code.
Now, full disclosure, Android 16 is still in the third beta version, so nothing is totally locked in yet. But we are in the home stretch, and thanks to a flood of internet leaks, we’ve got a pretty clear picture of what’s about to hit our devices.
Android 16 Focuses on Stability, Performance & Smarter Features
While Android 15 introduced a lot of visual polish and behind-the-scenes improvements, Android 16 builds on that foundation. This year’s update focuses heavily on:
✔ More polished multitasking
Especially for foldables and tablets, with smoother animations and smarter window management.
✔ Better battery optimization
Google adds deeper system-level controls that prioritize the apps you use and silence the ones you don’t.
✔ Improved security & privacy
More background protection, stricter permission behavior, and safer app installs.
✔ AI features integrated deeper into the system
Even if you don’t have a “Google AI” device, Android 16 uses on-device machine learning to optimize performance, suggest actions, and make the UI feel more responsive.
✔ More customization flexibility
New tweaks to lock screen layouts, wallpapers, themes, widgets, and gestures.
Google isn’t reinventing the wheel with this one. Instead, Android 16 is that update that ties everything together, smooths out the rough edges, and makes your phone feel faster, more consistent, and more refined.
The Codename “Baklava”
Yes, Google Is Still Using Dessert Names
Even though the public-facing branding stopped at Android 10, Google still uses desserts internally. And Android 16’s codename is Baklava — a sweet Middle Eastern layered pastry.
These names show up in:
internal documents
developer menus
test builds
Google team references
It’s mostly fun tradition at this point, but long-time Android fans still love it.
Security & Sanity
Android 16 makes it way harder to hack your phone while you’re stuck on a call with some sketchy jerk. If a caller tries to talk you into “toggling a setting” to sideload an app, your phone will flat-out refuse to enable those permissions mid-call.
And it’s not just sideloading. They’re locking down other scummy permissions too, like the one for Accessibility that scammers love to abuse. Google is finally slamming that door shut. Good riddance!
Notification Cooldown
Next is a pure stroke of genius: Notification Cooldown. Ever have someone just completely bombard your phone with messages? If you get blasted with a ton of alerts in a short time, Android 16 will smartly turn down the volume and shrink those alerts for about a minute. The only things that get a pass are calls, alarms, or your priority convos. It saves your sanity, and your phone doesn’t end up sounding like a broken pinball machine.
Oh, and storing contacts? Finally less of a headache. Forget the auto-sync drama. There’s a new Contact Storage page where you get to pick exactly where those numbers go—a different Google account, or maybe just keeping them strictly on the device. It’s about control, baby.
The Glow-Up: Settings, Pixels, and Flow
The Settings app got a clean-up, and honestly, I’m into it. The search bar is bigger, and everything’s neatly grouped. They moved Accessibility way to the bottom and About Phone toward the middle. It just makes sense: important stuff is front-and-center, the less-used junk is tucked away. Clean.
Quick side note: some of these features, like the new Settings look, actually popped up in the Android 15 QPR beta builds. But since not a ton of people know about them, and they’re guaranteed for the Android 16 release, we’re covering them to keep you totally in the loop. Thumbs up for that!
This next one is mainly for Pixel users because most other phones already have it: you finally get a Battery Health section that shows your current battery capacity and condition. My Pixel 9 Pro XL is sitting pretty at 97% after almost a year. Not bad. But seriously, it’s about time we got this.
On the privacy front, the Privacy Dashboard got an upgrade. Instead of just seeing what apps did in the last 24 hours, you get a full 7-day history. Now you can truly see which apps are the biggest data hogs throughout the week. Knowledge is power!
And for a huge quality-of-life win: you can now unlock your phone with your fingerprint even when the screen is off. No tapping to wake, just a touch, and you’re in. Yeah, Samsung users are rolling their eyes, but now it’s built right into Android itself, which is what we need.
Tiny Tweaks That Matter
Let’s hit those smaller, but seriously cool, details:
The Android Easter Egg got a fresh logo, but the game is the same old rocket thing. C’mon, Google, we need a new mini-game!
Finally, you can change your system-wide preferred measurements (Metric or Imperial) no matter where you live.
Physical keyboard users, rejoice! You get custom keyboard shortcuts for screenshots, split-screen, and launching apps.
In Accessibility, there’s a new Outline Text option with high-contrast backgrounds, making everything way easier to read for people with visual impairments. Huge improvement.
You can now remap the double-press power button! Swap the camera launch for Google Wallet, or whatever you want. Choice is good.
Even sharing Wi-Fi got a Material You makeover—the QR code looks slicker. It’s all about the details, right?