- Evidence of a StandBy Mode for Android has been spotted
- It would be enabled on locked, charging phones
- The iPhone equivalent was introduced with iOS 17 in 2023
Android 16 could start to be pushed out to the masses within the next month, and signs of another imminent new feature have been spotted hidden in the platform code: a version of the iOS StandBy Mode for Google-powered phones.
This has been spotted by Android Authority, and concerns code hidden in the Android 16 beta and Google Play Services. The key reference is to casting content from “standby-friendly” devices, which strongly suggests phones and tablets in standby mode.
If you’re not familiar with StandBy Mode on iOS, it shows a clock and other widgets on the iPhone screen when it’s placed horizontally and being charged. Combine it with a MagSafe charger, and it essentially turns a locked iPhone into a smart display.
While the evidence for Google doing something similar with Android 16 is pretty slight right now, it would make sense for something like this to be introduced: it’s a handy feature to have, as has been shown by third-party StandBy Mode options for Android.
Chargers and hubs
Another piece of the puzzle is the Qi2 charging standard, which will bring a MagSafe-like wireless charging experience to Android phones. Support for this is limited right now, but more Qi2-ready Android phones are expected within the next year.
It also looks as though Google is preparing to add a standby button to the Android interface, again as indicated by hidden code, and it looks as though the display setting will build on top of the existing Hub Mode available on the Google Pixel Tablet.
Plenty more features are expected in Android 16, based on what Google has already told us, what’s now available in the beta software, and what’s been spotted in leaks. We know the software will come with an updated look, and new security and battery features.
We’re almost certainly going to hear more about Android 16 at the Google I/O 2025 event, which gets underway tomorrow, and will feature updates on AI, Android, Chrome, and more. You can get all the news from I/O right here on TechRadar, and watch along live.
