The Developer Preview for Android 16 has been released significantly earlier than in previous years, with the consumer version expected by the end of June 2025.

This Developer Preview is primarily intended for developers and may contain bugs, so it is advisable for general users to wait for the beta release.

The updated Privacy Dashboard now provides a seven-day view of app permission access, enhancing user insights into app behavior.

Currently, the memory feature for Gemini is exclusive to subscribers of Google’s AI Premium Plan and is being rolled out globally.

This early release strategy for Android 16 is aimed at reducing fragmentation and enhancing competition with iOS by enabling quicker feature availability.

To install the Developer Preview, users must flash a full system image onto a recent Google Pixel device, which will erase all existing data.

One of the key updates in this preview is a new API for Android's photo picker, designed to enhance security and encourage developers to use the native picker.

In related news, Apple has released the iOS 18.1.1 update, focusing on important security fixes ahead of the upcoming iOS 18.2.

The reinstated Notification Cooldown feature aims to silence repetitive alerts, improving the overall user experience.

Additionally, a new 'Modes' feature has replaced Do Not Disturb, allowing users to create customized settings for different activities.

Health Connect has been improved to allow third-party apps to access health records, such as vaccination data, with user consent.

Google's Gemini AI chatbot has introduced a memory feature that remembers user preferences and work-related information for more personalized interactions.