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The previous few Android releases have all been about refinement as an alternative of overhaul. We’re effectively previous the purpose the place a brand new model of Android introduces a boatload of latest options; as an alternative, Google is all about tightening the safety, making Android simpler to make use of throughout type components, and delivering a constant design.
That is the case with Android 17 as effectively. There is a first rate number of new stuff this time — together with a brand new multitasking mode that truly is smart — however the overarching theme is round usability; whether or not you are on a foldable, pill, within the automobile, or an everyday cellphone, Google desires to make Android 17 feel and appear the identical throughout all of your units.
The secure Android 17 construct is now accessible on eligible Pixels, and will probably be rolling out to different producers’ units over the approaching months. That is not all; Google is bringing a slate of Gemini Intelligence options to pick Pixels and Samsung units with a mission to show Android 17 into an “intelligence system,” and these options — together with Rambler in Gboard, Create My Widget and AI-assisted activity automation will likely be rolling out in a number of months. Oh, and there will likely be one other minor Android launch coming later within the yr.
I am a long-time Pixel consumer (I nonetheless have the 2016 Pixel), and put in the secure Android 17 construct on my Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Professional XL and Pixel 10 Professional Fold. Whereas the secure construct simply grew to become accessible, I have been utilizing the beta releases for months now, so let’s dive in and try what Android 17 is all about.
Bubbles makes multitasking simpler than ever earlier than
Google launched chat bubbles in Android 11, nevertheless it by no means actually made a lot sense to make use of it — no less than on my units. With Android 17, Google is taking that concept and making it in order that bubbles aren’t simply restricted to messaging apps, however can be utilized all through the system.
If you launch an app as a bubble, it exists as a floating window, and you may work together with it whereas utilizing different apps. Most different producer skins had floating home windows for some time now, so the characteristic itself is not something new — it is simply coming to Pixels with Android 17.
To illustrate you are watching a sport and need to chat with your mates; you may simply launch the messaging app as a bubble, and work together with it as wanted whereas nonetheless letting the sport run. It’s completely different to split-screen multitasking in that the second app is not taking over any worthwhile display screen area — you solely pull it up if you want it, and I like this implementation lots.
In my use, I discovered having Dwelling Assistant or Google Dwelling as a floating window fairly handy, because it allowed me to entry sensible house controls whereas looking in Chrome or watching a video. The floating window is much more helpful on foldables, the place you see a bubble bar on the underside proper nook, with all energetic floating home windows pinned there.
Whereas the characteristic is unquestionably helpful, an enormous limitation is which you can’t launch an app as a bubble from the recents menu. That may have made the characteristic a lot simpler to allow; proper now, you will have to lengthy press an app icon, and choose Bubble to launch it as a floating window. The opposite huge limitation is that it could not come to third-party launchers, so its usability will likely be restricted in case you’re not utilizing the Pixel Launcher.
Foldables get some further consideration in Android 17
Foldables proceed to get helpful updates, and Android 17 has a brand new characteristic I am very enthusiastic about. Google is rolling out a foldable-focused gaming mode with an optimized 50/50 structure — you mainly get the sport operating on one half of the display screen, and a gamepad beneath. Google additionally says it made high-end video games run higher on foldables by lowering jitter. The one annoyance is that this characteristic is not accessible at launch; it is as a consequence of be roll out over the approaching months, so in case you’re utilizing the Pixel 9 Professional Fold or 10 Professional Fold, you will want to attend somewhat longer.
One other welcome addition is native controller remapping, which is coming to all telephones. For those who use a sport controller along with your cellphone or foldable, you’ll simply customise the button structure and tweak the configuration to your liking.
Customise your Pixel the best way you need
As with each new model, Android 17 brings a set of customization choices and minor tweaks to the interface. The characteristic I like essentially the most is the flexibility to cover app labels on the house display screen; this creates a cleaner look, and makes issues look simply that little bit tidier (sidebar: that is what Xiaomi ought to have accomplished as an alternative of hiding labels on fast settings tiles).
One other change is across the Expanded Darkish Theme; you now get the flexibility to disable the mode on a person per-app foundation, so in case you’re utilizing the expanded darkish mode however an app is not displaying content material appropriately ( you, Amazon), you may disable it just for the app, which reverts to the standard darkish mode.
Google can also be increasing the background blur impact that debuted with Materials 3 Expressive to different components of the interface, just like the widgets picker. I just like the blur results, however I get that not everyone seems to be a fan of the brand new design; fortunately, you may disable it by going to Accessibility -> Colour and movement.
There is a minor change to the short settings web page; the Wi-Fi and cellular knowledge toggles are separate, and this time, I am crossing my fingers that Google would not mess with these toggles once more. Android 17 additionally brings granular media management, with a devoted slider for controlling the digital assistant quantity.
Display screen recording is getting an replace in Android 17 with Display screen Reactions. You get the flexibility to report your display screen and add your self as an overlay by taking a video with the selfie digital camera, and the concept is to make it simpler to report response movies. The characteristic is on the market within the U.S., and Google notes will probably be rolling out to different areas within the coming months.
Android 17 is getting smart parental controls
Google is not doing fairly as a lot as Apple in relation to parental controls, however Android 17 is a step in the appropriate path. You now get parental controls within the settings, and you may set each day limits on your baby, downtime schedules, particular person app limits, Google Play filters with age ranking, and simpler entry to Household Hyperlink controls. Fortunately, these options can be found proper now, so in case you’ve bought kids and have to arrange utilization limits, you are able to do so in your Pixel right away.
Android 17 has significant safety updates
Google is making Theft Detection Lock and Distant Lock enabled by default if you arrange a cellphone operating Android 17. These have been opt-in, and contemplating the place they’re situated within the settings, there is a good likelihood that the majority customers do not even know they exist, so this can be a optimistic transfer.
Discover Hub’s Mark as misplaced characteristic now will get biometric authentication, so in case you lose your cellphone and the thieves have your passcode, they will not be capable to flip off system monitoring. If you mark your cellphone as misplaced, it is going to forestall entry to Fast Settings and disable new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Android 17 will get a brand new Contact Picker that allows you to solely share particular contacts to share as an alternative of your whole tackle e-book. Location entry is getting higher too with a brand new Location Button; if an app simply wants location entry as soon as, it is going to as an alternative want to make use of a system-rendered button that ensures the entry is legitimate solely in that session — when you shut the app, it will not have entry. Better of all, if a non-system app is utilizing your location, you will see an indicator within the standing bar, much like the way it works with digital camera and mic entry.
We’re getting a constant UX on all units
Google’s software program is not simply on telephones — it is on wearables, tablets, TVs, vehicles, notebooks, and is coming quickly to XR headsets. At The Android Present 2026, Google highlighted the way it’s bringing a constant UX to all units in its ecosystem, and Android 17 gives the inspiration for a similar.
In Android 17, apps robotically adapt to any display screen dimension, and this permits content material to be immersive on any system you are utilizing. The thought is to stop letterboxing (black bars across the sides) and ship the identical constant interface on all units.
There’s additionally unified widgets with higher scaling on all display screen sizes, and a Image-in-Image mode that allows you to work together with the pinned home windows. That is primarily designed to be used on desktops, and we ought to be seeing simply the way it works over the comin months.
Google has a brand new characteristic referred to as Proceed On that brings “cross-device continuity.” The thought is that in case you’re looking a Chrome tab in your cellphone, you may simply proceed the identical tab on a pill. The characteristic is not dwell but, and Google notes that it’s prioritizing mobile-to-tablet transitions at first. I am intrigued to see the way it works in day-to-day use, however I will want to attend till I can apply it to a pill that is up to date to Android 17.
There’s way more to speak about Android 17
As is the case with each new model of Android, plenty of the options in Android 17 aren’t accessible right now. So in case you’ve put in the secure construct in your Pixel, you will not discover any main modifications aside from the flexibility to make use of bubbles with all apps. Issues like Pause Level and Create My Widget are the Android 17 options I wished to check out essentially the most, however they’re coming later within the yr.
Additionally, Android 17-based One UI, ColorOS, and OriginOS will look very completely different to what Google is providing on Pixels, and that is once more factor; Android is all about alternative, and you’ve got the liberty to make use of which model of the OS you favor. After all, there’s an interminable delay earlier than you should use the newest Android model in your cellphone, and I’ve a publish detailing if your cellphone will get Android 17.
Most producer interfaces have distinct options — a few of which (like floating home windows) are rolling out to Pixels simply now — and a UI that is fairly completely different to what you get on latest Pixels. There is not any telling when (or if) these Android 17 options will make their technique to the broader ecosystem of units. I will have devoted posts speaking about what the Android 17 replace has to supply on third-party telephones, however for now, in case you’re utilizing a Pixel, know that one of the best options in Android 17 (and no matter’s happening with Gemini Intelligence) are but to come back.
