Android 17 beta releases are here, shedding light on confirmed features and Google’s plans. It was designed by then-Google graphic designer Irina Blok on November 5, 2007, when Android was announced. At Google I/O in May 2016, Google announced Daydream, a virtual reality platform that relied on a smartphone and provided VR capabilities through a virtual reality headset and controller designed by Google itself. Ouya, a video game console running Android, became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns, crowdfunding US$8.5m for its development, and was later followed by other Android-based consoles, such as Nvidia’s Shield Portable – an Android device in a video game controller form factor.
Less intrusive phone call notifications
- Within the Android 16 QPR2 source code release, there are clues suggesting Google may be looking to reverse this decision and split the Internet tile back into Wi-Fi and Mobile data toggles.
- Ouya, a video game console running Android, became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns, crowdfunding US$8.5m for its development, and was later followed by other Android-based consoles, such as Nvidia’s Shield Portable – an Android device in a video game controller form factor.
- The video compression standard can deliver video quality similar to or better than the original at lower file sizes, provided the Android device also supports it.
- Certain features that Google contributed back to the Linux kernel, notably a power management feature called «wakelocks», were initially rejected by mainline kernel developers partly because they felt that Google did not show any intent to maintain its own code.
- To address this concern, Google introduced Project Treble, a framework designed to streamline the development and deployment of Android updates via Google Play Services, reducing manufacturers’ involvement in the update process.
- Google added features to Android 16 after the initial stable release, primarily through the Android 16 QPR1, QPR2, and QPR3 releases.
The flash storage on Android devices is split into several partitions, such as /system/ for the operating system itself, and /data/ for user data and application installations. Android is a Linux distribution according to the Linux Foundation, Google’s open-source chief Chris DiBona, and several journalists. In December 2011, Greg Kroah-Hartman announced the start of Android Mainlining Project, which aims to put some Android drivers, patches and features back into the Linux kernel, starting in Linux 3.3. Google engineer Patrick Brady once stated in the company’s developer conference that «Android is not Linux», with Computerworld adding that «Let me make it simple for you, without Linux, there is no Android». Google announced in April 2010 that they would hire two employees to work with the Linux kernel community, but Greg Kroah-Hartman, the current Linux kernel maintainer for the stable branch, said in December 2010 that he was concerned that Google was no longer trying to get their code changes included in mainstream Linux. Certain features that Google contributed back to the Linux kernel, notably a power management feature called «wakelocks», were initially rejected by mainline kernel developers partly because they felt that Google did not show any intent to maintain its own code.
Android 17: Confirmed features and changes
This is useful for multitasking scenarios, such as a video conferencing app keeping video call controls accessible while the user navigates other apps. Previously, changes to the media volume would typically automatically affect the Assistant volume and vice versa. With the Android Canary 2511 release, Google quietly implemented a change that automatically enables wireless debugging when a device connects to a trusted network. Google is preparing to upgrade Android’s UWB stack with features from the FiRa 3.0 core specification.
Speculation about Google’s intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to build through December 2006. Not much was known about the secretive Android Inc. at the time, with the company having provided few details other than that it was making software for mobile kudosbet phones. Shortly afterwards, Google acquired the company in July of that year for at least $50 million; this was Google’s «best deal ever» according to Google’s then-vice president of corporate development, David Lawee, in 2010. Perlman refused a stake in the company, and has stated «I did it because I believed in the thing, and I wanted to help Andy.» Rubin had previously been the creator of the T-Mobile Sidekick under his previous company Danger, Inc. Other Google services including Firebase Cloud Messaging, used for push notifications, are recommended for applications.
It is a new operating system developed by Google, designed for virtual reality and augmented reality devices, such as VR headsets and smart glasses. Under such sanctions Huawei has long-term plans to replace Android in 2022 with the new operating system, as Harmony OS was originally designed for internet of things devices, rather than for smartphones and tablets. Google introduced the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones in October 2016, marketed as being the first phones made by Google, and exclusively featured certain software features, such as the Google Assistant, before wider rollout.
- To support these “Registered App Stores,” Google is working on core changes to the Android operating system.
- Most manufacturers customize the look and features of their Android devices to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
- The only Android release which was not immediately made available as source code was the tablet-only 3.0 Honeycomb release.
- Chinese companies are building a PC and mobile operating system, based on Android, to «compete directly with Microsoft Windows and Google Android».
- This button is slated to receive “special visual treatment,” possibly indicating a custom animation when it appears or is tapped.
- With Android 17 Beta 2, Google is expanding its SMS OTP protection by automatically delaying access to SMS messages with OTP for apps that aren’t the intended recipient or the default SMS handler app.
In Android 16 QPR1, this has changed to display the same UI element that you’d see in the notification shade, where you can hang up, toggle the speaker, and mute your microphone. The full Live Updates experience includes Live Updates notifications appearing on the Always On Display, at the top of the notification list on the lock screen, in the Heads-Up display, and as a chip in the Status Bar. These are intended to save developers from having to build a custom solution to display progress in notifications, providing a standard format that is easier to adopt in their apps. The EU fined Google for €4.3 billion (about US$5 billion) and required the company to end this conduct within 90 days.
Charging while powered off
With Android 17 Beta 4, Google has introduced Background Audio Hardening, placing stricter limits on apps that try to play audio, request audio focus, or change volume while running in the background. Android OS verification will help you confirm that your device is indeed running an official, widely distributed Android build. The company says it developed this feature in response to bad actors releasing modified versions of Android that appear to be the real thing.
Features
This new profile is intended for companion apps to medical devices, granting permissions for posting notifications, managing Bluetooth connections, and sending alerts at precise times. Tapping the “recording saved” notification opens a new screen with a simple video player that includes a seekbar, a play/pause button, and a mute button. The expanded bubble bar shows only the five most recently opened bubbles, though the bubble overflow menu lists other previously opened bubbles. Once activated, the launcher adds a “bubble” button to the context menu that appears when you press and hold on any app on the home screen. More importantly, the “Microphone, Camera & Location” dialog now correctly lists the specific apps accessing your location. Android 16 QPR2 introduces a built-in Parental Controls menu that provides a centralized location for managing device-specific restrictions.
At Google I/O 2026, Google has introduced new “Metric Style” notifications template that expands Live Updates to health and fitness apps, timers, and travel app use cases. In the first Android 16 stable release, the Android system treats these notifications just like other notifications. Instead, the first release supported progress-centric notifications, a new type of notification that merely displayed progress and milestones on ride-share and food delivery apps.
Live Updates is one of the highlight features of Android 16, but it was absent from the first stable Android 16 release. You can see a gray, circular button located after the divider separating pinned and recent apps. To address this, Google added the taskbar overflow button with the release of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2. When long-pressing an app icon in the app drawer, you’ll see a “pin to taskbar” shortcut in the context menu, while you’ll see an “unpin from taskbar” shortcut when long-pressing an app icon on the taskbar.
