Here's a breakdown of all the new features in Pixel phones running Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1:
Flashlight Brightness Controls
The flashlight tile in Quick Settings just got a cool upgrade. Now, you can long-press the tile to reveal a "Flashlight Strength" dialog with a vertical slider shaped like a flashlight beam. As you drag the slider up, the arc representing the light beam expands, showing the increased intensity. This feature was first spotted in the Android 2510 Canary release, but Google added a bar at the top of the slider to make the maximum brightness level clearer.
Navigation Button Order
You can now customize the order of your Pixel's navigation buttons. The update introduces a "button order" setting, allowing you to swap the positions of the back and recents buttons in the three-button navigation bar. This is especially useful for those who prefer the flipped navigation bar layout, which is the default on Samsung phones.
Expandable Location Indicator
Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 brings a new location indicator to the status bar. Tapping it opens a dialog that shows the apps tracking your location. This makes it easier to manage location permissions and understand which apps are accessing your device's location.
Automatically Reconnecting Wireless ADB
For developers and power users, Google has implemented a fix for the frustrating issue of wireless ADB turning off unexpectedly. With this update, Android will automatically turn on wireless debugging whenever your device is connected to a trusted network. No more manual enabling needed!
Screen Casting to External Displays
Building on the initial release of Android 16, Google has added the ability to cast screen contents to external displays. Now, you can record and display what's on your screen to an external monitor or TV, making it easier to share content or present to a larger audience.
Stay tuned for more updates as we discover new features. Feel free to share your thoughts and any features we might have missed in the comments!
