Tech Desk 
Nov 12, 2024
Although Android phones come with built-in microphones for voice calls, their voice quality varies among different types of brands. Built-in mics are usually insufficient for professional audio recordings, prompting users to get external mics.
Current API limitations in microphones
Android doesn't offer system-wide microphone settings, but rather it comes with different apps that individually control microphone input through the MediaRecorder within API.
Apps like Pixel Camera and Pixel Recorder offer options to choose audio sources from, and apps like (HyperOS in Xiaomi) come with a default built-in mic without necessitating alternative input.
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Android 16 microphone features
Android 16 is expected to roll out a system-wide audio input switcher to address these limitations that are mostly faced by its consumers.
The code that is integrated into the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 that links the upcoming audio input routers to the existing media switcher, which is currently only supported by output devices.
This allows users to select the external microphone's audio recording option, enabling them to embrace recordings across systems, similar to how Windows handles its audios.
It would enhance Android's functionality, particularly on PCs, where managing audio inputs is more common. This feature's initial development would be focused on PCs, but later on it may be extended to smartphones too.
This feature might be scrapped or evolved with the release of Android 16 scheduled for Q2 of 2025.
