9to5Google

Besides replacing Developer Previews, the Android 17 Beta cycle is operating on a faster release schedule.

Now Playing is one of the Pixel’s oldest features and Google is getting ready to give it a big app “upgrade.” 

The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.

Besides what was detailed in Google’s blog post, another new “cross-device continuity” feature coming to Android 17 is “Handoff.”

Welcome to episode 88 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Ben Schoon joins Damien and Will to talk through the announcement — and subsequent unannouncement — of Android 17. The group talks through how and why this launch fell apart before discussing exactly what expectations we all should have for Android updates in 2026. Then they turn to Samsung, which just confirmed an Unpacked announcement for late February for a series of phones that has us scratching our heads when it comes to big year-over-year improvements.

This episode was recorded prior to Android 17’s eventual release on Friday afternoon.

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One of the first things cut on budget phones is often long-term software support –I’m looking at you Motorola –, but that’s not the case with Samsung’s Galaxy A17, which is promised six years of Android OS updates. But, can anyone actually use this $199 phone for that long?

Google today officially announced Android 17 Beta 1 for Pixel devices. This joins the stable Android 16 QPR2 release and 16 QPR3 Beta that’s winding down.

Update: After a two-day delay, Android 17 Beta 1 is now rolling out to Pixel devices with CP21.260116.011. You can find the OTA images here.

Here’s everything new in Android 17 Beta 1 [Gallery]

The Motorola Razr FIFA edition was announced earlier this year ahead of the World Cup, and it’s now available for purchase with some perks.

Well, that didn’t take long. After word of an early build of One UI 9 for Samsung’s upcoming foldables leaked out, we’re getting our first look at what the company’s wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 variant might look like, and in a twist, it’s even wider than Google’s original Pixel Fold.

Quick Share, Google’s version of AirDrop for Android, seems to be moving towards the removal of its always-on “Everyone” sharing mode, moving closer to iOS.

Samsung’s feeling reinvigorated in the foldable game. After catapulting itself back into the conversation with last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, the company recently launched a tri-fold model that, despite its sky-high price, can’t seem to stay in stock. We know Samsung is working on at least two additional book-style foldables for later this year, and now, its wider alternative is showing up with a fresh One UI 9 build.

Samsung may have been a little too ahead of its time when it announced plans for a smart home robot powered by, you guessed it, AI. The product appears to have been shelved, as Ballie vanishes from Samsung’s website.

Google has confirmed a Pixel 10a launch on February 18, and now a detail list of the phone’s specs have leaked, showing exactly how it differs – and how it doesn’t – from the Pixel 9a.

YouTube is running a test where you might not get notifications for a channel even if you’ve subscribed for “all” notifications.

After introducing text-to-speech in August, Google Docs is now rolling out audio summaries. 

The vast majority of Google’s Android apps have switched to a short bottom bar. Google Photos was the big exception, but we now know it’s moving to a floating toolbar, starting on iOS.