Android 17 Beta 1 is here

Android 17 Beta 1 is available for download. It can be installed on Pixel 6 and newer devices. The innovations so far are mainly under the hood.

Originally, the first beta of Android 17 was supposed to be released a few days ago. Accordingly, Google had provided some US media with embargoed pre-release information. The reports went online, but Google's announcement post and the system images did not. Shortly thereafter, Google stated that the beta would be released shortly. As it now turns out, "shortly" actually meant shortly: Since Friday evening, Google has been offering the pre-release version of the major update for Pixel devices participating in the Android Beta Program for download.

As has been known since Wednesday, the first beta of Android 17 primarily contains developer-side innovations. The update continues Google's work on adaptive apps that do not have a letterbox mode and fill the entire width of large-screen devices, such as foldables or tablets. The previous developer opt-out of Android 16 has been removed for applications with API level 37 (i.e., for Android 17). An exception are still games, according to Google.

Another aspect of the update is performance optimizations: With Android 17, Google is introducing various optimizations to reduce dropped frames and lower CPU overhead for "garbage collection." Google is also implementing optimizations to reduce memory consumption for notifications.

Media and Camera

Innovations are also to be found in the areas of media and camera: Android 17 Beta 1 includes professional camera APIs for smoother transitions, allowing camera apps to switch between modes without fully restarting the camera session. This solution is intended to avoid minor pauses, visible errors, and delays when switching camera modes.

Furthermore, Android 17 allows apps to access metadata of all active physical camera sensors, not just the main sensor. This is intended to give camera apps deeper insight "into the behind-the-scenes processes during lens changes or zooming." Google is also introducing an interface (API) for volume control to "provide a more consistent listening experience across applications and hardware." Android 17 also brings support for the H.266 video codec (VVC), which produces significantly smaller files than its predecessors H.264 and H.265 at the same image quality.

All changes for app developers, including areas such as privacy, security, connectivity, telecommunications, and developer tools, have been summarized by Google in the documentation.

Final Update in June

According to Google's schedule, Android 17 will follow a similar release rhythm to Android 16. The company plans to achieve platform stability by March 2026. During Google's I/O developer conference in May, the company might announce further major innovations included in Android 17. The stable version for Pixel devices is expected to be released in the second quarter, likely in June 2026. A smaller SDK version will follow in the fourth quarter of 2026.

All Pixel smartphones from Pixel 6 onwards, all Pixel foldables, and the Pixel Tablet are compatible with Android 17. The latter recently received an update bonus of two additional years. The beta should not be installed on production devices. So far, there have been no announcements from other device manufacturers regarding a date for a potential update to Android 17.

(afl)