Now that Google has released the Android 16 Developer Preview 1 update to eligible Pixel phones, new features are being explored. While this update doesn"t introduce many new capabilities, it does add things that have been previously discovered. For example, the "Notification Cooldown" feature, which was earlier spotted in Android 15 DP1, is now available and working in the latest Android 16 DP1 update.
It appears there is another feature that is being re-introduced. We are talking about the audio-sharing feature, which, according to Android Authority, was spotted earlier this year in the Android 15 DP2. However, it wasn"t working on that build. Thankfully, it works in the Android 16 DP1 update.
With the audio-sharing functionality, users will be able to share the music they are listening to with multiple other headphones and speakers simultaneously. It could come in handy in situations like hosting a silent party, where your phone streams music directly to your friends and family members" headphones at the same time.
Reportedly, the feature only works with Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series phones and it doesn"t support older Pixel phones, not even the Pixel 8a. Folks at Android Police tried to enable the feature on a Pixel 7 and were met with failure.
If you have a supported Pixel device, i.e., Pixel 8 or above, then you can enable the audio sharing feature on your phone by heading over to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Audio sharing. This is presuming that your phone is running on Android 16 DP1.
It works like the Hotspot feature on your phone. You have to set a unique name and password for your audio stream, which users can use to connect to your device to listen to the music playing on your phone on their headphones or speakers. There is also an "improve compatibility" toggle, which helps devices, such as hearing aids, connect by reducing the audio quality.