Google is rolling out Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2 to eligible Pixel smartphones ahead of the stable rollout by the end of September 2025. This new update has added some new features, like custom icons and developer verification.
Everything New with Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2
Starting with developer verification, Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2 has introduced a new security protocol which is aimed at improving user safety by reducing the risk of malware. Starting September 2026, Google will require verified app publishers to register itself on Android. Only then, their apps will be eligible to reach certified Android devices.
New APIs have also been added to support verification checks during installation and tools for simulating successful and failed verification results. Only installs made via Android Debug Bridge (ADB) will remain exempt from this new system.
The next QPR2 Beta 2 feature includes SMS OTP protection. From now onwards, messages with an SMS retriever hash will face a delayed delivery of up to three hours for most apps. The RECEIVE_SMS broadcast and SMS database queries will be withheld during this period. Only the default SMS, assistant, and dialer apps will be exempted from this mandatory delay.
Additionally, the latest Android beta release is also making garbage collection efficient. The Android Runtime (ART) will now include a Generational Concurrent Mark-Compact (CMC) Garbage Collector, which will focus solely on "newly allocated objects, which are more likely to be garbage". This is aimed at reducing the overall CPU load on Pixel smartphones, eliminating performance lag and improving battery life.
Even Android's native Health Connect is also getting upgraded with this new release. It will now allow native step tracking using the on-device sensors. The READ_STEPS permission will now directly access step data from the Android system. Even information like weight, set index and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) will now be recorded by Health Connect via ExerciseSegment and ExerciseSession data types.
Also, this is the first Android update which has added support for a minor SDK version. This will allow Google to release new APIs which are not regular cycle-bound. Developers will be able to detect and use QPR2-specific APIs without breaking the app behaviour.
Finally, amidst the plethora of developer-focused updates, Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2 has something for the end user as well. It has finally introduced custom app icons with multiple new shapes. These will be applied throughout the system consistently, be it in the app icons, folder preview and adaptivity. Developers will be required to follow the Material 3 Expressive theming protocol to ensure that their apps are displayed correctly in the available styles.
That said, users with eligible Android 16 Pixel phones should get this new update any moment now, considering their devices are enrolled within the Android Beta program.
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