The first Android 16 beta could land today – with a big change for your notifications

• The next Android 16 beta could be here imminently

Developers have had their hands on Android 16 since November, but when will the rest of us get a chance to test out the upcoming mobile operating system? Well, if a new leak is to be believed, it’ll be today – January 22 – and the update could also bring a new ‘compact’ option for notifications.

This release date speculation comes from comments left by a Google engineer on Android updates, spotted by @AssembleDebug and Android Authority, which mention today’s date as when the next stage in the beta process will start.

If Google follows the same routine as previous years, users with selected handsets will be able to install the beta on their phones ahead of the full Android 16 release – provided they’re okay putting up with some bugs and crashes.

We already know that Google wants to bring forward the launch of its major Android updates to earlier in the year (you may remember the Android 15 release schedule was somewhat confusing), and a beta launch today would fit in with that.

Here’s what might be coming

We’ve already heard a few whispers about what might be coming with Android 16 – although the developer preview that’s currently in circulation doesn’t offer a whole lot in terms of notable new features.

It seems you’ll be able to review security events across a longer time period, and get more control over what apps can do. Improvements to the Do Not Disturb mode have been rumored, and there might even be an Android version of the iOS Dynamic Island.

The latest leak around Android 16 features comes from Android Authority: hidden code found in the latest beta preview suggests there’ll be a new ‘compact’ option for notifications, which lets you collapse alerts into a ‘shelf’ on the lock screen.

That should help deal with notification overload – but we’ll have to wait and see what form it takes in the final version of Android 16. As usual, several features will come and go during beta testing ahead of a full launch later this year.