Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
Android 16 looked to be one of the most impressive upgrades to the mobile operating system in recent times. Google teased some seriously cool features that would elevate Android to the next level. However, although some of those expected features made their way to the final release, some did not.
Because some of the more hotly anticipated features have yet to materialize, Android 16 seems (on the surface) to be kinda blah. But don't be fooled. Even though the big UI changes were held back, there's still a lot to love about what was released.
Also: Your Android phone just got a major feature upgrade for free - including these Pixel models
One thing to keep in mind is that Google released Android 16 early. Usually, those major updates are held back until late summer/fall. (Android 15 was released in September 2024.) Why did Google release this latest update three months early? It's pretty simple: With new Android devices set to release this summer, it's now a safe bet they'll ship with the latest release. When the Pixel 9 line of phones was released last year, they shipped with Android 14 because 15 wasn't ready. That was a big disappointment to Pixel fans everywhere. To avoid this, Google released a "version" of Android 16 to ensure it would be ready for the release of the Pixel 10 phones.
In addition, Google has decided to speed up the release of Android, with two releases each year (probably so they can ensure the latest Pixel devices always have the latest version).
With that out of the way, let's first talk about what I love in Android 16.
What's to love?
OK, the "what's to love" section is a bit thin at the moment. But that doesn't mean it's not important, because Android 16 brings a few new features that are key to user security. With Android 16, securing your phone became a whole lot easier.
Within Settings > "Security & privacy," you'll find an entry called Advanced Protection. When enabled, this all-or-nothing security feature helps defend against online attacks, malicious applications, insecure connections, and other threats. But, like I said, this is all-or-nothing. When you enable Advanced Protection, it's all in, and you can't customize it. That's fine for the majority of users, but you'll want to understand three things:
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