Android 17: Google accelerates development and releases second beta

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Just two weeks after releasing the first Android 17 Beta, Google has released the second beta of Android 17. The company appears to have accelerated the development of its mobile operating system compared to Android 16. Last year, betas were released approximately every four weeks until the final release. According to the changelog, the new beta also includes some user-facing changes. However, Google points out that the new version is still intended for developers only.

Bubbles

The second beta includes so-called Bubbles: this is a window mode realized through a new floating UI experience separate from the Messaging Bubbles API. Users can create an app bubble on their smartphone, foldable, or tablet by long-pressing an app icon in the launcher, the company explains in the Android developer blog. Furthermore, on large screens, there is a “bubble bar” as part of the taskbar. In this, users can “organize, switch between, and move bubbles to and from anchored points on the screen.” Developers should consult the documentation here.

The second beta also includes a new system-level EyeDropper API. This allows apps to request a color from any pixel on the display without requiring sensitive screen capture permissions.

The contact picker is also new: With a new intent ACTION_PICK_CONTACTS, Android 17 provides a system-level picker. According to Google, it grants temporary, session-based access to specific fields, reducing the need for full READ_CONTACTS permissions. The feature also allows selection from the device's personal or work profiles.

Furthermore, Android receives support for touchpad mouse pointer capture with the new version, which could prepare for the upcoming desktop mode and Aluminum OS, among other things. According to Google, captured touchpads now behave like mice by default, reporting relative movements and gestures instead of raw finger coordinates.

Handoff

Beta 2 also includes a Handoff API. This is intended to allow tasks to be continued on different devices – for example, from a smartphone to a tablet. Google had previously mentioned this new feature in the documentation. Unlike Apple's or Microsoft's solutions, Google's version is limited to the Android operating system. For the upcoming Android PCs with Aluminum OS – or between smartphone and tablet – the feature is likely to be quite practical. At least: Handoffs work with web apps, even if they are not installed on the second device.

Android 17 also brings extended distance measurement: For this, Google is integrating “UWB DL-TDOA” (Downlink Time Difference of Arrival), which requires Ultra-Wideband support. This allows the system to support the FiRA 4.0 specifications published in December 2025, which enable privacy-friendly indoor navigation, among other things. In addition, Beta 2 includes the WiFi Alliance specifications for improved Wi-Fi-based distance measurement. Furthermore, apps in Android 17 are intended to query the maximum downlink/uplink rates assigned by the mobile provider for streaming.

Google is also stepping up security with Android 17: to prevent hijacking, Android 17 is intended to delay programmatic access to OTP (one-time password) messages for apps not set as the default SMS application by three hours. Google advises developers to switch to the SMS Retriever or SMS User Consent APIs. Furthermore, the update introduces the runtime permission ACCESS_LOCAL_NETWORK to protect users from unauthorized access to local networks. According to Google, this is intended to prevent “malicious apps from exploiting unrestricted local network access for covert user tracking and fingerprinting.”

In addition to new features, the second beta delivers various bug fixes, which Google has summarized on Reddit.

Platform Stability in March

Google plans to move quickly from the new beta version to “platform stability.” This is scheduled for March. With this “milestone,” traditional for Android development, Google provides the final SDK/NDK APIs. This means that from this point on, developers can target their apps to SDK 37 and publish them on the Google Play Store.

Developers and adventurous users with an additional compatible Pixel device can install Beta 2 on a Pixel 6 or newer. To achieve this, they need to register their device in the Android Beta Program, after which they can install the beta as an over-the-air update.

(afl)