Android 16 receives new features: AI-based notification summaries and enhanced security tools

Google has unveiled the second major Android 16 update, adding artificial intelligence-based features, new security tools, and interface updates. The update will first be available for compatible Pixel smartphones.

What is known

Among the key changes are notification summaries generated with the help of artificial intelligence. They allow users to quickly get acquainted with the content of messages without needing to open apps. There is also an organizer that automatically arranges notifications by importance.

The update includes enhanced parental control settings that are now integrated into system settings. They allow limiting device usage time and monitoring the child's activity in apps.

Among the visual changes are the ability to customize icon shapes, thematic styling, and an improved dark theme. According to the company, this should positively impact device autonomy. The updated Circle to Search features allow checking suspicious messages for fraud. The Google Messages app now shows a warning if an unknown number sends a group invitation. In such a case, the user can exit, block, and report with one touch.

The update also includes the Call Reason feature. It allows marking a call as urgent, and this information will be displayed on the screen even in case of a missed call. The Chrome browser for Android now features tab pinning, like on a PC.

Among accessibility updates are Expressive Captions, which show a person's emotions in video even without sound. This feature will also appear on YouTube. Fast Pair for hearing aids and Guided Frame with Gemini support, which describes objects in the frame in the Pixel camera app, have also been added.

Source: Google