Summary
- Android 16 Beta 1 reveals development on a new time zone change notification toggle in settings.
- This feature allows users to receive notifications when their time zone is automatically updated.
- The new addition could be useful for frequent travelers, but it’s unclear if the feature will debut with Android 16 later this year.
Google released the first beta of Android 16 last month, and there’s already a fair bit we’ve learned about the operating system, such as the improved functionality for hearing aids and upgraded keyboard shortcuts, among a few others. We’re now learning about a useful new feature in development that could debut later this summer.
Related
In a report for Android Authority, Android expert Mishaal Rahman writes about a discovery in Android 16 Beta 1 related to time zone changes. Android already has a robust system in place to automatically adjust the time zone on your smartphone as you travel. However, while looking through Android 16 Beta 1’s code, Rahman uncovered strings mentioning a brand-new notification and a dedicated toggle within Settings > System > Date & time.
Rahman discovered the following strings:
<string name=”time_zone_change_notifications_toggle_summary”>Receive a notification when your time zone is automatically updated</string>
<string name=”time_zone_change_notifications_toggle_title”>Time zone change</string>
It’s unclear if this toggle will debut with Android 16 this year
The Date & time settings page in Android 15 vs Android 16 Beta 1’s time zone change notification toggle
Rahman even managed to get this new toggle to appear in Settings, as you can see above. While he could not trigger the notification, some other strings within Android 16 Beta 1 reveal what the notification would look like. When there’s a change in time zone detected, a notification with the title “Your time zone changed” will appear, with the body saying “You’re now in xyz,” offering some specificity about your location.
Given the nature of this under-development toggle, we don’t see it being useful to many out there. But if you’re someone who switches between time zones a lot and struggles to keep track of them, this will serve as a welcome addition to your Android experience. Even though your smartphone will automatically show you the time based on your location, having a notification mentioning exactly what that timezone is can be handy.
Even though this toggle was discovered and activated in Android 16 Beta 1, there’s no guarantee that it will go live in Android 16 when it hits stable by Q2 this year. Fortunately, though, the wait for Android 16 shouldn’t be long, given that Google is adopting an expedited release timeline. All the information available now suggests that Android 16 (stable) could debut anytime between April and June, though the date is yet to be revealed.