Google Unveils Android 16 Beta 4, Approaching Final Release Milestone Before Stable Launch

In November, Google surprised fans with the first Developer Preview of Android 16, accompanied by a detailed development timeline. The company has successfully met every milestone so far, and we now find ourselves at the final stage before the stable release. The last major beta version, Android 16 Beta 4, has just been launched, slated for public availability in April 2025. The announcement came today via the Android Developers Blog, although it provided limited details on the updates.

What we do know is that Beta 4 includes crucial security patches for April 2025, addressing two zero-day vulnerabilities and other critical Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs). This update bears the build number BP22.250325.007, as reported by Mishaal Rahman. A notable aspect of this beta build is that it marks the first version available for the newly released Pixel 9a, which is now part of the Android Beta Program. All of Google’s devices, from Pixel 6 to Pixel 9a, can opt into this update.

The release notes for Beta 4 highlight several fixes, notably for excessive battery drain, haptic performance issues, and problems with the Pixel Weather app’s radar. Other addressed concerns include launcher crashes and enhancements in system stability. Among user-reported issues, the update has rectified a bug that made the radar map in the Pixel weather app disappear. It also resolved multiple performance issues that affected haptic feedback and caused unexpected system restarts in various scenarios.

As a side note, a change noted by AssembleDebug indicates that the Wallpaper & Style app has removed the prominent Beta badge for themed icons, suggesting that these icons are now stable—though this change had already been made in Android 15 QPR2. The update began rolling out around 4:30 p.m. ET and is approximately 1GB in size. Users can check for availability via the Settings menu.

Google has reaffirmed that Android 16 is on schedule for a Q2 2025 release, with a potential public launch possibly coinciding with Google I/O 2025 in May.