Android 16 certainly has a lot to offer users, but there are more than a few issues too. One of the most prevalent is a bug that appears to affect notification sound alerts on Pixel phones.
The bug was first reported on Google's Issue Tracker, via Android Authority, where a user stated that their Pixel phone would no longer play any noise when the phone received a new notification. The issue, according to the report, only occurs if there is a notification already in the shade on the phone, with the sounds will briefly resume if prior notifications are dismissed.
One user noted that their phone played no notification sounds, even when the volume was at maximum, and they had overridden Do-Not-Disturb permissions. Users in the comment section have reported the issue appearing on several different Pixel models, including the Pixel 6 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Thankfully, it appears that Google is aware of the problem, stating on August 7 that it was aware of the issue and added that a fix was on the way. That said, it's unclear if the fix will come as part of the QPR1 release, which is expected to be released later this month, or the QPR2 update, which is likely to arrive in December.
What else should users be aware of before updating to Android 16?
There’s an argument that Google hasn’t been offering much in the way of big updates when it comes to Android, at least compared to Apple.
A counterpoint to this would be that Apple is currently trying to play catch-up to Google's OS, due to the issues it has faced getting Apple Intelligence and Siri to work properly. As such, Google doesn't need to do as much and can focus on quality of life improvements.
However, this has led to some stating Android 16 is essentially Android 15 with some added bits, many of which have yet to appear outside of Pixel devices. For instance, the update was announced to include the new Material 3 Expressive redesign language, but so far that only seems to be available on the Pixel 10 series — with other phones having to wait until an unspecified point later this year.
Meanwhile, other features released with the update, such as Live Activities, are appearing on other Android devices, but the feature is still relatively limited. Currently, the Live Activity feature is focused on very specific apps, namely ride share and delivery apps. It’s expected that more will be added in time, but it’s hardly a phone-selling feature just yet.
When we combine this with this new, and relatively long-lasting bug, it adds to the feeling that Android 16 was released just a little too early. However, let us know what you think and how your experience with Android 16 has been thus far, and if you’ve experienced the muted notification yourself.
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