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Here are the new features for Pixels in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Google has released the third and final beta for Android 16’s first quarterly platform release (QPR1). Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 is available without a detailed changelog, which is typical for these releases. We’ve already started digging into the build to find out what’s new, though, and here’s what we’ve discovered so far. Note: At the time of this article’s publication, Google has only released the Generic System Images (GSIs) for Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3. The

Android’s lock screen widgets are getting a slick new background blur effect

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR A future Android update will give the lock screen widget page a blurred wallpaper background, aligning it with the Material 3 Expressive design language. This visual change, which replaces the current opaque colored background, was spotted in the new Android Canary build, making the UI more consistent. Although lock screen widgets are currently exclusive to tablets, Google has confirmed they will be coming to phones in the Android 16 QPR1 release. Mat

Google’s At a Glance weather icons are getting a controversial minimalist makeover

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 QPR1 beta users are noticing a change to the weather at a glance icon. The icon now appears flat and colorless. This change is happening in QPR1 beta only, not stable Android 16. If you’re an Android 16 QPR1 beta user and noticed that At a Glance looks a little different lately, you’re not alone. Google has rolled out an update to the weather icons that appears to have users divided. At a Glance, which appears at the top of the Pixel Launcher,

Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 just made an iOS-style change to your status bar

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 quietly swaps the positions of Wi-Fi and mobile network icons on the status bar. The new arrangement mirrors Apple’s approach on iOS and breaks years of established Android UX norms. If Google decides to go ahead with the change, it could reach Pixel devices with the Android 16 QPR1 stable release in September, and to the wider Android platform with Android 17 next year. It’s raining software updates! We’ve got iOS 26 beta and major

Topics: 16 android bar beta qpr1

Don’t be fooled by Android 16’s release — the big changes are still coming

Android fans, it is time. After nearly seven months of developer previews and betas, the official Android 16 update is now available for the Pixel 6 and newer Pixel models. If you head to your Settings app to check for an update, you should have Android 16 waiting for you. Android 16 as a whole is shaping up to be one of the most significant Android updates we’ve seen in years, thanks to things like Material 3 Expressive, the redesigned quick settings layout, the new lock screen customization o

Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 Wallpaper Studio offers a home for its best customization tools

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google’s been refreshing its Wallpapers & style app for Android 16 QPR1 with new features like Magic Portrait and theme support. With QPR1 Beta 2 the company has started grouping together its wallpaper creation and editing tools under a new Wallpaper Studio banner. This replaces the previous “suggested photos” view. When you’re interested in customizing the look and feel of your Pixel phone, there’s probably nowhere better to start than Google’s own Wallp