Android 16's "SettingsPreferenceService" API: Make app settings more like iOS

Android 16 is about to be released, and one of the eye-catching new features is the "SettingsPreferenceService" API, which may bring the way app settings to a closer look to iOS.

Currently, the settings for Android apps are almost entirely within the app itself. To adjust these settings, you usually need to open the app, find the menu, and go to Settings or Preferences. But this new API has the potential to change that.

The goal of the “SettingsPreferenceService” API is to build Android settings into a central hub. Users can do everything in one place without having to apply one by one. This API allows apps to integrate their preferences directly into Android Settings apps.

Developers can use this API to select which settings can be changed in the Settings app and which cannot be changed. They can make certain settings read-only, add direct links to in-app settings, and even ask users to confirm changes. For clarity, they can also add titles and summary to each setting so that the user can get an accurate picture of what is being adjusted.

Related ###### Android 16 Beta 3 is released and will be officially launched soon

The latest Android 16 Beta version has been released, marking the stability of the platform. This means that API and application-oriented behavior have been finalized. There are only a few months left before the official version is released.

This should sound familiar to iPhone users. This is one of the biggest differences between Android and iOS. Most settings for some iPhone apps are located in the System Settings app. For example, if you want to change Safari's search engine, you need to go to Settings > Apps > Safari. This is not possible in the Safari application itself. Not all iPhone apps are like this, but it's not uncommon.

Some Android apps have found a clever way to link the settings page to Android settings. But this new API provides a more direct and official way. But whether this will be implemented depends on how many developers adopt it. Similar features on iPhones seem to be gradually decreasing over the years, so it is still unknown whether Android developers will adopt it.

I have two views on this topic. On the one hand, it is most reasonable to go directly to the application to adjust its settings. This is how Android apps work, and even more and more iPhone apps are turning to this way of thinking. However, in some cases, it may make more sense to enter the Settings app.

Related##### 10 Android settings I always disable

Android phones are full of features, but not all are worth enabling. In fact, some features can even be very annoying. Here are some settings that I always turn off to make my phone better serve me.

The problem is, I think Android has solved these situations. Currently, you can go to Settings > Apps and select any apps installed on your phone. There, you will see settings for the app's notifications, permissions, storage, data usage, and battery usage. These settings feel more like "system" settings than "app" settings, so it makes sense to put them here. I'm not sure what other settings can be extracted from the app itself.

Anyway, as mentioned above, it is ultimately up to the developer to make the decision. Android 16 Beta 3 was released last month, marking the platform stability of the release. We expect another beta release this month and a final stable release in the second quarter of 2025. It will arrive soon!

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