Android Threads

This week, Google released the third beta build for Android 16. Android 16 Beta 3 is available now on Pixel all Tensor-based Pixel phones — that is, Pixel 6 or newer — as well as the Pixel Tablet. The latest beta brings Android 16 into platform stability, meaning developers now have a complete picture of how their apps will interact with the new Android version. Hit the link to the right to read more, or visit Google's Android Beta Program site to get the latest beta on your Pixel.

Google recently added a terminal app for Linux on Pixel devices, and an enterprising person on Reddit has confirmed that you can install and run an entire Linux desktop environment on Android. As a longtime Linux user, I find this pretty cool. So had, you seen the news about Linux on Android, and if so, what do you think of it? Do you see yourself running Linux apps on Android anytime soon?

This week, Android Police sat down with the President of the Android ecosystem at Google. We spoke about the future of Gemini on the platform and more, including why the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 got extra Android updates. It's down to efficiencies on the team through a new process called Trunk Stable development. Read more about this news here.

Android Police sat down with Google's Head of Android this week where he confirmed various things about Gemini on your phone and the future of Android. One of the big elements was the fact Android 16 is on track to hit its June release date. The company has managed to hit this point thanks to a new development process called Trunk Stable. Read more about the news here.

I have no doubt Android apps get a lot of use on Chromebooks, but I do wonder how many out there make use of the Linux app support built in ChromeOS. I often used it for apps like GIMP and Krita (yes, I know there is an Android port), art and photo apps that lend themselves to desktops and laptops. But what about you? Do you take advantage of Linux app support on ChromeOS, and if so, which apps do you tend to install?

One of the biggest shake-ups with One UI 7 is the Now Bar, Samsung's take on Apple's Live Activities (and, on a lesser scale, the Dynamic Island). It surfaces a handful of contextual information to the corner of your display, including timers and Google Maps. Since I received my review unit last month, however, I've been unable to get sports scores to appear within Now Bar, despite following a handful of local Buffalo teams like the Bills and Sabres. Well folks, after troubleshooting conversations, a lengthy mention in my review, and plenty of effort on my part to figure out what was stopping this feature, it's finally fixed. When the Sabres returned to the ice this past Saturday — to absolutely whoop the Rangers in an improbable 8-2 beating — I saw every wonderful goal pop up on my S25 Ultra every step of the way. If you run into a similar problem with sports scores in the Now Bar that I did, well, I wish I could offer advice. Unfortunately, I gave up on trying to fix this issue aro

If you're running Android 16 Beta 2, watch out for this bug that breaks the company's system colors feature. Android Police found this week that themed icons are currently broken in the latest software and while there's a fix, it takes a lot of effort to make it work properly. This is beta software, so we'd expect some issues, but this is the second problem with themed icons in the last three months. Read the full news here.

The Android 16 beta has been out for a little bit now, with the second beta dropping rather recently, giving everyone ample opportunity to test, resulting in plenty of reports of what may be to come once 16 hits stable and is launched officially. So, out of all of the new things we've learned about Android 16, from its manual camera controls to its clean edge-to-edge display utilizing transparent nav and notification bars, what would you say you are looking the most forward to?

Google I/O traditionally takes place in May, and this year isn't going to be any different: Google's announced that its annual developer conference will kick off on May 20 in Mountain View, California. Google hasn't said what to expect from the conference this year, but we can certainly guess. Android 16 is set to be finished in late spring, so it's likely we'll see a lot about the new version at the conference this year. And of course, expect plenty of talk about Gemini. Hit the link to the right to learn more about Google's I/O 2025 reveal. 

There is another One UI 7 beta coming to the S24, which means users will have longer to wait for the stable version to drop. So, are you in the camp that prefers stable software, so don't mind the delay, or are you sick or waiting for what S25 users are already enjoying?

Apparently, Quick Share can now transfer over Wi-Fi and mobile data, so if your Wi-Fi drops all of a sudden, Quick Share can fall back to mobile data to complete the process. So, now that you know Quick Share just added this feature, do you plan to take advantage of it? Have you had issues with Quick Share dropping connections in the past? Are you happy to see the potential problem fixed?

There was a time when third-party Android UIs were not kindly looked upon. It's what drove the rooting and romming scene, the constant hunt for something better. But with time, things evened out, and now One UI is considered one of the better skins out there; people actually look forward to updates to the skin, such as with the release of One UI 7. So, are you a current fan of Samsung's Android skin, or are you still a hardcore stock Android fan?

My Android journey started with the HTC Hero on Sprint, way back in 2009. It had a chin and a trackball, and I loved it. Not only was HTC firing on all cylinders back then, but the phone designs were also actually fun, unlike how boring things are today. Part of that excitement also included the software, where the HTC Hero shipped with Android 1.5 and eventually got updated to Android 2.1. These were early days, and back then I was a theming machine hot off modding Windows Mobile devices, so was deep into changing how my Android devices looked, like when Android 2.1 dropped, I was installing ROMs, apps, and themes that got me the old Android 1.5 look with its white drawer tab. Sure, plenty was rouch around the edges, but the excitement of making your phone yours was as relevant back then as it is now. So, where did your Android journey start? Which Android version was your first introduction to the OS?

Android 16 entered its open beta period this week. As of Thursday, anyone with a Pixel 6 or newer can sign up to try the new version at the Android Beta Program website. Android 16 brings improvements like iOS-like Live Updates notifications, improved app adaptivity across varying screen sizes, and wider implementation of predictive back animations. In my first couple of days on the beta, I haven't noticed much difference in look or feel coming from Android 15 — features like Live Updates have to be integrated by individual app developers. On the plus side, I haven't noticed many bugs, either. If you have a compatible phone (Pixel 6 or 6 Pro; Pixel 6a; Pixel 7 or 7 Pro; Pixel 7a; Pixel Fold; Pixel Tablet; Pixel 8 or 8 Pro; Pixel 8a; Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, or 9 Pro Fold) or a Pixel Tablet, you can sign up to try the beta at the Android Beta Program website now. 

It's out. The first Android 16 beta is here for anyone to test. But will you? I know I'm not the biggest fan of running beta software. Sure, plenty here at AP love to go digging to see what's new, but that's not my bag. I prefer a stable OS. But what about you? Have you thrown caution to the wind and installed the Android 16 beta, or are you more like me and happy keeping things stable and boring?

It's coming, Google has already announced it. Android Automotive users will soon have a lot more apps at their disposal, from streaming apps to games. The apps should be dropping in February, just keep in mind that only certified cars with Google built-in will be supported. So, are you ready to turn your car into an entertainment system?

I am unable to get audio from music apps while using Bluetooth, but audio does work with Google Maps. The head unit shows the music app is playing the music. Is there a fix for this?

It looks like Google is still adamant that ChromeOS won't disappear for good, though it's understandable it may be a worry when the DOJ is looking to remove Chrome from Google, which could mean many things for ChromeOS. Imaginations are running wild, an inevitability when impactful decisions are on the horizon. Personally, I'm ready to see ChromeOS and Android shaken up, ideally with both bringing features to the other until things can be combined. But what about you? Are you worried ChromeOS may disappear, or are you excited to see what comes next?

Rooting and installing ROMs used to be a staple of using Android, at least it was for me for many years. Eventually, Google and the OEMs caught up to the modders by offering stable systems that no longer needed constant tweaking. And so it's been a long time since I rooted my phone for the purpose of installing a ROM. However, I am currently considering installing LineageOS, which got me wondering how many of AP's readers are still diving deep to root and ROM their phones to install operating systems like LineageOS. So, sound off in the comments if you're still rooting and ROMing like the good 'ol days, and let's see just how popular loading up a third-party OS actually is.

After months of waiting, Samsung fans woke up to an early Christmas present: One UI 7's first beta, now available for the Galaxy S24 trio. I've been testing out the update since this morning ahead of our hands-on — check back at AP tomorrow for my full thoughts — but, put simply, I'm pretty impressed. While practically every leak pointed to an iOS-style clone, Samsung's made some unique choices here that I quite like, especially when it comes to the new vertical app drawer. This is the sort of thing I've been begging Samsung to do for quite some time, and it's pulled off with style here. It's in alphabetical order by default, remembers your spot within the app drawer (controversial, but I'm a fan), and still lets you group apps into folders pinned at the top of the page. Perfect. What's not so perfect, though, is the permanent "Secured by Knox" watermark in the lower right-hand corner. Why is this there? Who cares enough about Knox to want to be reminded of its existence multiple time