San Francisco, California – Google has announced that the latest Android 16 preview update, Beta 4, is set to be released on Thursday, April 17th. This development marks the third consecutive release of teasers leading up to the update.
The anticipation for Beta 4 began two months ago with a one-day teaser from the @AndroidDev X Twitter account. This teaser, specifically aimed at developers, hinted at the imminent arrival of the new update, stating, “Android 16 Beta 4 drops tomorrow :eyes: Be on the lookout!”
Despite the excitement surrounding these teasers, it is noted that they do not typically showcase major changes for the average user. However, the recent highlights for users in the previous month included Battery health improvements and the discovery of a Live Updates easter egg. Additionally, there have been some minor visual alterations, although not all have been received positively.
Android 16 Beta 4 is described as the first near-final build and release candidate meant for developer testing. This implies that the window for significant additions to the update is gradually closing. While Google has hinted at a possible May preview release, it is not referred to as Beta 5. Presumably, this release may happen before the anticipated I/O 2025 conference, which is scheduled for a later date this year.
With a consumer launch expected in June as part of an accelerated release schedule, Google users and developers alike are eagerly awaiting the upcoming Android 16 update. The company’s consistent communication and previews serve to build excitement while providing insight into the upcoming features and improvements.