Vidita Chandra | 13 May 2025 11:46 PM
Kicking off its I/O 2025 season, Google has officially set the stage with The Android Show, offering an early look at what’s next for its mobile ecosystem. The spotlight was firmly on Android 16, which is shaping up to be a feature-packed release with a strong focus on personalisation, AI smarts, and tighter security. Here’s a closer look at everything Google’s bringing to the Android experience this year.
Android is getting a fresh coat of paint with the new Material 3 Expressive design, focused heavily on personalisation. Expect smoother, more responsive animations—like springy haptics when swiping away notifications or a blur effect when pulling down Quick Settings. Dismissing apps, adjusting volume, and other UI interactions now feel more fluid.
Fonts and dynamic colour themes are getting a boost, offering more visual flair and deeper customisation across supported apps. Quick Settings is also more functional, packing in extra shortcuts like Flashlight and Do Not Disturb.
Android 16 borrows from iOS with Live Activities-style lock screen updates, letting apps like Uber or Maps stay visible even in standby. The makeover extends to Wear OS 6 too, with dynamic theming for round watch faces, sleeker button layouts, and a 10% battery efficiency bump thanks to better performance tuning, as per Google.
Google is officially swapping out Assistant for its more advanced Gemini chatbot—and not just on Android phones. In the coming months, Gemini will become the default voice assistant across Wear OS 6, Android Auto, cars with Google Built-in, Google TV, and Android XR.
In cars, Gemini supports more natural, open-ended requests—ideal when you're on the move. For instance, it can find a charging station near a park on your way to run errands. It also enables Gemini Live, allowing real-time, conversational back-and-forth while driving.
On Wear OS, Gemini can remember tasks, answer context-specific queries, and pull information from connected apps—like surfacing an email from a friend—directly on your watch. While Gemini on wearables and in-car systems uses the same AI models as phones, it still requires an internet connection. Offline support is in development, but not ready yet.
Google’s Find My Device app is getting a makeover, it's transforming to Find Hub. Now, beyond just locating your own gear, the app lets friends and family share their locations, making it easier to keep tabs on loved ones.
Big changes already rolled out in 2024 include offline tracking (even for powered-off phones and some with dead batteries), and support for third-party trackers. Every Android device now quietly helps scan for nearby lost items—similar to Apple’s crowd-sourced approach.
Google says more upgrades are on the way like integration with Peak trackers for skis, ultra-wideband support for Motorola’s Moto Tag, and even satellite connectivity later this year. Come 2026, you’ll also be able to share Bluetooth tracker locations with airlines—a feature iPhone and AirTag users already enjoy.
Google is expanding its call protection features—once exclusive to Pixel phones—across all Android 16 devices. If you’re on a call with an unknown number, your phone will now block risky actions like disabling Google Play Protect, sideloading apps, or granting accessibility permissions—common tricks used by scammers.
Screen-sharing protections are also getting tighter. When a call ends, Android will prompt you to stop sharing your screen, and in the UK, a pilot feature warns users opening banking apps during a call and screen share.
In Google Messages, on-device AI now detects a wider range of scams, from crypto cons to toll frauds. There’s also a new Key Verifier tool for secure end-to-end communication, letting you confirm contacts via QR code or number comparison.
Android 16 also introduces tougher factory reset safeguards, locking down features if a phone is reset without the owner’s permission. It also hides OTPs from the lock screen in high-risk scenarios—like when you’re offline and haven’t unlocked recently.