Android 15 was only released by Google for its Pixel smartphones, but rumours are already circulating about new features that will be included in Android 16, which is still a few months away from an official version. Google has historically let OEMs alter the user interface, in contrast to Apple’s iOS, although stock Android is still mostly stable and devoid of experimental features. With Android 16, that could be about to change, though, as Google is supposedly integrating important notification features like Apple’s Dynamic Island, emulating OEMs like OnePlus and Infinix.
Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority, who often digs into code to reveal upcoming features, found Android 15 beta code that suggests Android 16 may have a new “Rich Ongoing Notifications” feature that allows developers to retain persistent alerts in the Android status bar.
This code allows you to add a pill-shaped symbol to the Android status bar with a custom background color and text. Rahman came up with some fictitious alerts that demonstrate how it may be used to inform you when your Uber is expected to arrive, among other things. According to Rahman, Android has introduced a feature that tells you how long you’ve been on a phone conversation since Android 12.
Google will allow applications to generate Rich Ongoing Notifications with the Android 16 release, per a recent report by Android Authority. According to reports, applications will be able to add “chips” to the status bar rather than simply icons thanks to this new notification system. Google probably intends to include a dialogue box within the app that could show additional information about the notification or enable fast actions like playing or pausing music, skipping tracks, and more—all from the same screen—even though it’s unclear what tapping on these notification chips will accomplish at this time.
Given that the new functionality was observed in the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 release, there is a very good chance that the most recent Android build will have it. According to Android Authority’s mock-ups of several apps, Google and Apple’s use of the Dynamic Island may differ in one significant way: While the Dynamic Island occupies the space next to the notch on iPhones, Android 16 could position the pill-shaped cut-out in the vacant space in the upper left corner of the status bar. It’s crucial to remember that this feature is still in its infancy, and when Android 16 gets closer to release in 2025, it may undergo a significant redesign.
The iOS Live Activities feature, which displays timers, sports scores, and delivery ETAs on users’ lock screens and at the top of alerts, appears to be comparable to this one. When you’re using your phone for other purposes, they show up as widgets in the Dynamic Island cut out on the iPhone 14 Pro and later.
I wish my Pixel 6 phone had something similar to that. Using Live Activities has helped me remember to pay for a parking meter using my city’s parking app and to promptly verify the arrival time of a meal delivery. I would be less likely to return to Android in the future if there was something like it available there.