- Android 16 Beta 3 is here, bringing new features to enrolled users
- Users need a Google Pixel 6, or more recent Google Pixel phone, to get the beta
- New features include battery health tools and accessibility options
Android 16 Beta 3 is here, bringing a handful of new features to those participating in the Android beta program.
The new features included in Android 16 Beta 3 include a new battery health monitoring screen, new accessibility settings, and new tools to keep your local networks safe.
The beta is available to users of select Google Pixel phones who are enrolled in the Android beta program: to access Android 16 betas, you’ll need a Google Pixel 6 or more recent Google Pixel handset, such as the Google Pixel 9 or Google Pixel 9 Pro.
The stable release of Android 16 is scheduled for Q2 2025, which we’re already in. If Google sticks to its target, we should see Android 16 released by the end of June.
Until then, Android 16 Beta 3 offers users some neat new features to test out. Below, we’ve rounded up the four most useful features from the latest test version of Android.
A new battery health page
Most phone users are now aware that phone batteries are consumable components that become less effective over time, as its maximum capacity diminishes with each recharge
Android 16 Beta 3 adds a handy new way to keep track of your battery’s health, with a new screen in settings offering an estimate of your battery’s current capacity as a percentage of its total capacity when new.
As Android Authority notes, the new settings page also includes links to resources that include tips on how to preserve battery health.
In a reversal of the norm, this is a feature that iPhone users have had access to for quite some time – now Android users have more information to pair with the operating system’s existing battery preservation features, like adaptive charging.
Text outlines
Text can be hard to read on a smartphone display, especially on smaller screens – luckily Android 16 Beta 3 adds a new accessibility feature that should make it easier than ever to parse through the text on screen.
The new feature replaces the current high-contrast text option with outlined text, adding a high-contrast background.
This feature is specifically aimed at users with visual impairments, but it’s available to all who might want an easier time reading on-screen text.
Audio broadcast
Another accessibility feature lands with Android 16 Beta 3, in the form of Auracast audio broadcast support.
This allows users with hearing aids and earbuds paired to their smartphone to loop into public broadcasts – examples given include airports, concerts, and classrooms.
The Android developers blog notes that this makes use of the LE Audio standard, a form of Bluetooth audio.
Android 16 Beta 3 also includes new tools to keep prying eyes away from your local network by altering the scope of app permissions.
As it stands, any app that has permission to access the internet can access devices and files on your local network – this beta changes this by requiring a separate permission to access local networks.
This should give users more control over how much of their information is shared between apps and services.
As mentioned, Android 16 should land on the best Android phones by the end of June. Let us know what you want to see from Google’s next mobile operating system in the comments below.
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jamie.richards@futurenet.com (Jamie Richards)
