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Android 16 release date is getting closer and Google is busy adding new security and useful features for its users with the beta updates.
The Android 16 beta update is offering a new and faster way to unlock your Pixel phone
Google is promising an early release date for Android 16 this year and its beta program status suggests the change could become a reality. The Android 16 beta is also giving us a teaser of the new features that will be coming to a host of devices over the next one year and some of them could be very useful for millions. Besides the obvious AI upgrades, the Android 16 version also could have a new way to unlock your smartphone which will be equally safe and privacy focused.
Android 16 Unlock Phone Change: Know What Is Coming
Screen unlock is a secure way to keep your phone safe but you have always needed the display to be active for the security feature to work. But the Android 16 beta 3 update, spotted by Android Authority, suggests that won’t be necessary if you have a phone with the upcoming Android version.
Yes, your Pixel phone or any Android 16 powered could be unlocked with the screen turned off which promises to make the process faster. Google is unlikely to enable this option by default which is the right way to go and users can manually change the settings on their device.
Screen Unlock With The Display Off: How To Enable
The report says Google will activate the new screen unlock option if you do the following:
– Go to Settings on your Pixel phone
– Tap on Security and Privacy
– Click on Device unlock
– Go to Face and Fingerprint unlock
– Enable Fingerprint lock and tap on it
– Now tap on the Screen-off fingerprint unlock to make use of the new option
If you are thinking that Google will reserve this new feature to the latest Pixel 9 series models then we have some good news. The latest Android 16 beta 3 update has been tested with older Pixel 6a and 7 series models and the screen unlock updated option works even on them. Having said that, this is just the beta 3 version of Android 16 and Google could easily decide to remove support for the older models if the feature does not work effectively in its testing phase.
Google is also planning to offer 8 years of OS updates and patches with the rumoured Pixel 10 series this year, which goes one better than the 7 years support the company has announced since the Pixel 8 series in the market.
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