Google has recently rolled out the Android 16 QPR2 update for Pixel smartphone users, bringing a host of new features and enhancements. This update goes beyond just the December 2025 security patch, offering Pixel 6 users and newer models a range of tools to enhance their user experience.
To check if the Android 16 update is available for your Pixel device, simply navigate to Settings > System > Software updates and tap on System update.
Here are some of the standout features of the new Android 16 update:
Pin Tabs in Chrome:
Users can now pin tabs to the top of the Chrome web browser, making it easier to access frequently visited sites. This feature is particularly useful for users who tend to have multiple tabs open at once and want to keep important pages easily accessible.
AI Notification Summaries:
Google has introduced smart AI-powered summaries for incoming notifications, allowing users to quickly glance at the contents without having to open each notification individually. This feature aims to streamline the notification experience and make it more efficient for users to manage their alerts.
Urgent Call Alerts:
With the Call Reason feature (currently in beta), users can flag calls to saved contacts as “urgent,” signaling to the recipient the importance of the call. This feature can be helpful in situations where users need to convey the urgency of a call without bombarding the recipient with messages.
AI Scam Detection:
The Circle to Search feature now includes AI scam detection, which can analyze incoming messages to determine if they are potentially fraudulent. This can help users identify and avoid scams without having to manually research each message.
Expressive Captions in Live Videos:
Expressive Captions is a feature that detects emotions expressed in live videos and adds appropriate emotion tags. While this feature may not be relevant to all users, it can enhance the accessibility of live video content for viewers who rely on captions.
New Split Screen Options:
Android 16 introduces a new split-screen option that allows users to run two apps in a 90:10 split ratio. This gives the majority of the screen space to one app while dedicating a smaller portion to another app, enhancing multitasking capabilities on Pixel devices.
Emoji Mash-ups:
Gboard now includes a feature that combines two emoji to create new, evolved emoji types. For example, combining a hug emoji with a monkey emoji results in a pair of hugging monkeys. This feature adds a fun and creative element to emoji usage on Pixel devices.
Overall, the Android 16 QPR2 update brings a range of new features and enhancements to Pixel smartphone users, improving functionality and user experience on these devices. Be sure to check for the update on your Pixel device to take advantage of these new features.
