Android 16 UI Rumors: Volume Controls Undergo Potential Overhaul

Google is all set to unveil Android 16 later this year, marking the next significant iteration of its mobile operating system. While two developer previews have already been released, many details about the upcoming update remain under wraps.

This deep dive into the various Android builds released thus far has uncovered compelling hints that Google is gearing up for substantial user interface transformations in Android 16. These expected changes extend beyond just the Quick Settings and notifications panels, reaching into the realm of the volume panel and its slider. 

The launch of Android 15 last year brought a notable overhaul to the volume panel, introducing a collapsible design. This revamped panel presented strong, pill-shaped sliders, complete with a dot at the end of each slider and clickable icons for swiftly muting specific audio streams. 

In addition to this, it replaced the header, ‘sound & vibration’ with a persistent media output shortcut that allowed the stream-name text to shift alongside the slider. 

The updated volume panel replaces the thick, pill-shaped sliders with sleek and continuous sliders with handles. This new aesthetics matches with the Material Design 3 principles of Google for sliders. 

While some may prefer the previous volume panel design which was more complex, the streamlined approach boosted the ability to gauge the precise volume level of each audio stream. 

Below this, is a comparison of the volume panel UI from Android 15 alongside the potential updates for Android 16. Moreover, Google is also revamping the volume slider to complement this fresh design. 

The volume slider in Android 16 will adopt a less-rounded shape, featuring a slender rectangular handle. The icon that indicates the current volume stream will be located at the bottom of the slider instead of the top. Also, the three dots at the bottom which expand the full volume panel will slightly be smaller in this new replication.