Survey reveals Android 16 QPR2 is a huge hit with fans

Google is switching up its release cycle with Android 16. Instead of just one big update, we get another smaller update before the end of the year in the form of Android 16 QPR2. While Pixel users are used to QPR releases, many of the features within are available for OEMs to bake into their own updates, so they don’t have to wait until the Android 17 release. We asked users what they think about Android 16 QPR2, and it turns out that most people are loving the update.

Our poll received close to 2,700 votes, and from this group of people, over 1,700 (representing ~64% of voters) consider it a huge update, and they love it. The good majority has good reason for it, too, as there’s plenty to love in the update.

For instance, Android Authority reader OldeIronsides says that the steps access from Health Connect is a big win for them, and the early source code release of QPR2 is also good for custom ROMs.

Reader gnkziom is happy that screen-off fingerprint unlock is back on their Pixel 9.

We’re also seeing appreciation threads pop up on Reddit (1, 2), which is rare given how positive news usually gets drowned out on the platform compared to negative news. Google has definitely done something right with Android 16 QPR2 to please these many users.

A small percentage of voters, approximately 11% with 300 votes, consider Android 16 QPR2 a boring update, one worthy of being disliked.

Then there are people who don’t care about the update. 11% of voters don’t have a Pixel, but another 14% with 376 votes have a Pixel yet don’t care about the update. The latter is probably burnt badly by lingering bugs on Pixels, which is a far too common occurrence, compounded further by the number of updates Google rolls out.

In an ideal world, bugs would be squashed in betas, but in Google’s world, some of these bugs frequently make it to stable release. As reader 40aaron notes, UWB is broken on their phone with Android 16 QPR2.

How has your experience been with the Android 16 QPR2 stable release? Do you like the update, or do you hate it? Have you spotted any bugs? What’s your favorite feature? Let us know in the comments below!