Android 16 makes the Pixel 9 fingerprint sensor easier to use

One of the security features of the Google Pixel 9 is a fingerprint sensor built into the display. This follows the trend of other smartphones. However, the problem with in-display fingerprint sensors is that it’s usually a two-step process. Thankfully, Google is changing that with the Android 16 update for the Pixel 9 series.

In the second developer preview of Android 16, Google has made some changes to how the fingerprint sensor works. This comes in the form of a new feature called “Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock”. The name is pretty telling. Basically what it does is that it allows users with Android 16 to unlock their Pixel 9 phones even when the display is turned off.

Like we said earlier, in-display fingerprint sensors are usually a two-step process. Users need to turn on the display and then unlock their phones. With this new feature, it should make the unlocking process a lot smoother and faster.

Android 16 is the upcoming major update to the Android platform. The update is expected to be released next year, although it could arrive a little earlier than expected. It’s interesting because the Android 15 update did not actually ship together with the Pixel 9. Google is making some drastic changes to the timeline with Android 16.

The company reasoned that this is to ensure their Android partners have more time to prepare the update for their devices.