Target Android 16 (SDK 36 major/minor)

[Xavron]

[TESTED] Changes for Android 16 MAJOR (sdk 36):

• Requires all current pending pull requests for target A15 to be applied.

REQUIRED:
compileSdk 36
targetSdkVersion 36

*See minor below for deprecation change to compileSdk.

NOT REQUIRED:
[Affects sdk 36 major or newer]

Predictive back support to the 3-button navigation
https://developer.android.com/about/versions/16/behavior-changes-all#three-button-predictive-back

Can target without this. Not required. Works same as always without this. Actually, 99% of all apps I use do not even implement this at this time.

To use: Hold on back button. If predictive is working, it will slightly shrink the app and show the next screen back. If its not implemented by an app, nothing happens.

(App may not have predictive back support for swipe nav either. Swipe nav predictive untested by me and previously missed.)

• [NOT APP BUG SEEN] (This is a OS or Launcher bug) In Recents screen, the snapshot of the most recent app may be translucent showing Home screen background image. Android 16 QPR0 PixelOS.

  • https://developer.android.com/guide/components/activities/recents

• [NOT APP BUG SEEN] Android 16 major does have a possible very high device ping time and occasional blocked connection issues. [WELL SOLVED] Possible connection blocking/loss from newer Android or new WiFi tech for currently unknown reasons #271 (comment) It is showing to be solved by using battery saver HIGH. So yes, an app using full time wifi wake lock improves the device/OS connectivity in reverse here. Ideally, the device/OS should have no connectivity issues but block the app on lack of wake lock. Went a bit too far or OS bug.

• Below untested points, if Android has settings variations in major, are unchecked and untested by me.

---

[TBD] Possible changes needed for Android 16 MINOR (sdk 36.x):

• compileSdk changes (older version is now deprecated actually before here but putting it here due to its adjustment for first use of targeting minor versions). Change compile sdk adjusting as desired.
  https://developer.android.com/about/versions/16/qpr2/setup-sdk#groovy
  https://developer.android.com/reference/tools/gradle-api/8.13/com/android/build/api/dsl/CompileSdkSpec

android {
    compileSdk {
        version = release(36) {
            // this block and its properties are optional
            //it.minorApiLevel = 1
        }
    }
  ...

• Quick test in 16 KB 16.1 VM. App starts. Server starts. No issues seen.

• Below untested points, if Android has settings variations in minor, are unchecked and untested by me.

---

Tested but not yet required (separate issue created: )

• [Not affecting sdk 36 major; 36.x minor untested. I will keep an eye on this.] Might need (looking to need in the future; another page says its required here though) a new local network permission added - the info suggests to be enforced sometime later in another Android SDK version. These really should be tested on physical device due to VM network not being great for testing apps that way (from and to itself could see missed problems). https://developer.android.com/about/versions/16/behavior-changes-16#local-network-permission

  • More information has been made available. May be possible to test in VM at this time: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/16/behavior-changes-16#local-network-permission

  • Looks to be required at some point in the future.

Untested

• [I won't be testing this] Would be good to test on large screen. This is also noted as a possible breaking thing with A16. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/16/behavior-changes-all#common-breaking

• Could be more possible breaking changes. Unknown at this time.

  • A16 major: Nothing breaking noticed.
  • A16 minor: N/A

---

I'm fully exiting programming, dev stuff. Been nice while it lasted :)

Expecting to also test using Samsung A16 end of the year, and if all goes well, Won't be able to test A16 minor until sometime in 2026 at the earliest. Expecting to update this post in some way at that time. The local network perm will be something I expect to look into whenever that happens (possibly A17?) and that I expect to be the last thing I do here.