The latest Android 16 beta is out and one of the smallest changes in this year’s cycle might be the most commonly used by fans of Google’s next mobile operating system.
9to5Google spotted the presence of a new “close” app button within the Android 16 menu displaying cards for recently-used apps on the best Android phones and some rubbish ones too.
This is one epic Sony WH-1000XM5 deal
The outstanding Sony WH-1000XM5 now down to a bargain price, so if you need a new pair of headphones to get you through work, commuting and travelling, these are the only ones to consider right now.
- Amazon
- Previously $399.99
- Now just $328
When users tap the app icon within the “Recents” screen a new option to close the app now appears below the exiting calls to pause the app, start a split screen, or view the app information.
The new close option could be helpful because previously a swipe gesture was required to close down the apps. So if you want to reduce the strain on your phone without straining your thumb then this will be right up your alley.
As the site reporting the tweak points out, it’s hardly an epochal change but it comes within a beta version that doesn’t offer much in the way of new features.
In previous betas we’ve learned that lock screen widgets are coming to Android phones and not just tablets, Live Updates for tools like Google Maps are going to provide concurrent information from apps without having to open them too. Pertaining to the camera there are also new exposure options and the ability to precisely control colour temperature and tint.
Small, but effective
Android 16 isn’t likely to be the biggest release in the history of Google’s mobile platform, but what we’ve seen so far suggests there’ll be several handy quality of life updates.
We’ll learn more at Google I/O in May, but I imagine those larger updates will be largely focused on new features for the company’s Gemini AI tool.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
