Android 16 Beta 4 Reveals Google’s Plan For Better Video Chat

Summary: Google appears to be developing built-in video chat effects for Android devices, likely coming in Android 16. These effects include things like background blur, and would work for any chat app.

Video chat in Android 16 is likely to get a lot more useful, thanks to the discovery of possible video chat effects that Google might be developing for the operating system.

Android 16 doesn’t officially launch until later this year, but Google did release the fourth and final beta for it last week, available on devices like the Pixel 9a. Since then, people have been digging through the latest version of the software to see what’s new. During this time, a few small changes have been discovered. This is in addition to the possibility of features coming down the line, perhaps after the stable release.

One of those possible upcoming features is likely to be effects for video chat, natively baked into the Android 16 software. That’s according to Mishaal Rahman over at Android Authority. He recently found details pointing to the possibility that Google is adding this to Android in the near future.

Video chat effects in Android 16 may work in any video chat app

While native video chat effects are exciting enough, it seems there’s more to be excited about for people who could use this kind of feature. These effects are likely to be compatible with any video chat app. As Rahman notes, the effects being added were discovered through strings for a new quick settings tile for video chat. The presence of this tile suggests that Google is making the effects a system-wide thing.

Otherwise, there would be “little point in creating a dedicated quick settings tile for them,” Rahman says. That point does make sense. Quick Settings tiles enable system-wide changes. So it would stand to reason that this is Google’s point in making a tile for video chat effects. Being system-wide would also ensure that no matter which chat app you use, you won’t be locked out of these features.

Effects include background blur, portrait touch-up, and more

According to the strings found by Rahman, it looks like Google is going to be adding several effects. These include the ability to blur the background, add a touch-up to your face to remove imperfections, improve face lighting, and the ability to suppress background noise so the audio of your voice is clearer to others.

All of these should prove useful when video chatting on your phone or tablet. Assuming the new video chat features are here sooner rather than later. There seems to be a good chance that Google will enable this with the stable release, though it isn’t certain. Having said that, the panel is already visible in the Android 16 beta 4 software. None of the effects actually work, but the panel can be found and activated.

Image Credit: Mishaal Rahman – Android Authority