Google just released the Android 16 beta 3, and people are all cracking into the software to see what it’s all about. We’ve already seen a handful of new features that make us excited, but one of them is a little harder to find. The new Android 16 Easter egg hints at the new live updates.
If you don’t know what Android Easter eggs are, you’ve been missing out on a large part of Android culture. The company hides a little treat within the software with each new version of Android. They can be little animations, games, etc.
To access the Easter egg on your phone, go to your settings, tap on the About device button and find the button that shows the software version you’re on. Tap that repeatedly, and the Easter egg will pop up. If you have an older phone, don’t worry, the Easter eggs date back to Android 2.3 Gingerbread released in 2011.
The new Android 16 Easter points to the live updates
If you order food or a ride, then you’re used to hearing your phone going off about five times in the process. These notifications keep you updated about the status of what you ordered. However, what if you could cut down on the notifications and see a status bar?
This is something that Google wants to bring with this new Android feature. In order to see it for yourself, you’ll want to check out the latest Easter egg. This one will show a little spaceship traveling through space. The ship will land on planets and plant little yellow flags on them. It’s a cute little game to pass the time.
There’s also an autopilot mode that will pilot the ship for you. However, when you exit the Easter egg, it will show a notification. This notification will show off the new Live Updates feature coming to Android 16. The notification you see will have a progress bar showing you how close the ship is to the next planet.
It’s a small way to show off what this new feature will do. More importantly, it gets us thinking about what other uses this feature could have. Rather than opening the Uber Eats app to see the map, you could probably just see a progress bar in your notifications.
Maybe, you’re playing a city builder game, and you want to keep track of one of your buildings’ construction. Well, imagine seeing a progress bar showing you that status. The possibilities are endless.
Well, they’re not endless yet, as this feature isn’t live in the beta just yet. You’ll have to tinker with the software to see it.
