New Android 16 Updates and AI Integration

Google announces new Android 16 updates, focusing on AI integration to deliver an enhanced, intelligent, and personalized user experience. These updates, which have started rolling out to Pixel phones, represent a strategic shift for Google towards more frequent releases instead of traditional annual updates.

Key AI Features in Android 16

Among the most prominent AI-powered Android 16 features are notification summaries, which condense long messages and group chats into quick, clear glances. Additionally, the new "Notification Organizer" feature will automatically group and silence low-priority notifications, such as promotions, news, and social media alerts.

Enhanced Customization and Parental Control Options

The Android 16 update also allows for more customization options for users, who will gain access to custom icon shapes, themed icons, and an option to automatically dim light-themed apps, even those without their own dark theme.

Furthermore, a new parental control option is available within Android settings that allows parents to set screen time limits, create downtime schedules, and control app usage for their children.

New Google Features Not Limited to Android 16

Google has also launched several new Android features not limited to Android 16. A new experimental feature called "Call Reason" allows users to designate incoming calls from saved contacts as "urgent." This will appear to recipients on the incoming call screen, indicating the call's importance. If they miss the call, the "urgent" note will remain in their call history.

Google is also launching the "Emotive Labels" feature, which displays the full emotions of speech with tags like [sad] or [joyful], whether in a video message or a social media post. The company says this will allow users to understand the full context of what is being said when the audio is off.

It's now easier to detect and leave unwanted group conversations. If an unknown number invites a user to a group, they will receive an alert displaying basic information about the group. The user can then quickly choose to reply, leave the chat, or block and report the number. Additionally, pinned tabs in Chrome now work the same way they do on desktop devices, meaning pinned pages remain at the front of the browser, allowing users to resume their work from where they left off.

Circle to Search Updates and Enhanced Security

Google is also updating Circle to Search, its feature that lets users search from anywhere on their phones using gestures like circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping. Users can now analyze suspicious messages using this feature – after starting Circle to Search, an AI summary will appear indicating whether the message is likely a scam.

Comprehensive AI Accessibility Enhancements

For Android accessibility updates, Google is making it easier to use voice dictation with TalkBack on Android. Users will soon be able to start dictation in Gboard with a two-finger double-tap. From there, "Smart Dictation" with Gemini will allow users to type and edit texts using natural commands. For example, users can say "replace Monday with Tuesday" to correct a date, or ask Gemini to "make it shorter." These enhancements include the use of Google AI and Gemini in core phone experiences for vision and hearing (Published: May 19, 2025).

Google is also updating the "Guided Frame" feature in the Pixel camera app. Previously, the feature would inform users about things like a face being in the frame. Now, it will provide a more detailed description, such as "a girl wearing a yellow shirt sitting on the couch looking at a dog." This is enabled by Gemini Nano with multimodality capabilities, to deliver richer image descriptions (Published: May 15, 2024).

Advanced Voice Control and Fast Pair

Additionally, users no longer need to physically tap their phones to start using Voice Access, which allows them to control Android devices using voice commands. Now, users only need to say "Hey Google, start Voice Access" to begin controlling their phones hands-free.

The company is also launching Fast Pair for earbuds, starting with earbuds from Demant, a Danish company that owns several major earbud brands, including Oticon, Sonic, and Bernafon.