Android 17 has just reached the milestone of the “platform stability” with its third beta. But beyond the fixed APIs for developers, it’s us who hit the jackpot: a windowing system that radically transforms the experience on large screens.
If you thought Android betas were just minor bug fixes, version 17 is here to prove you wrong. Google has just released Beta 3 of Android 17, and it’s arguably the most concrete step towards the long-awaited fusion between the mobile world and the desktop computer.
The platform has reached its “platform stability”, which means the code is locked, but the new multitasking features steal the show.
The major change? The complete activation of the Bubbles feature. Introduced softly before, it now allows any application to be turned into a floating window with a long press on its icon.
On tablets and foldable smartphones, a new “bubble bar” is directly integrated into the taskbar to manage your pinned windows.
Google doesn’t stop there and introduces the Interactive Picture-in-Picture. Until now, PiP was mainly used to watch a video in a corner. Now, these windows remain active and interactive while staying on top of other applications in desktop mode. This might be what was missing for Android to be credible against iPadOS or a Chromebook.
Photo and sound take things seriously
Beyond the interface, Google strengthens the technical part for enthusiasts. Android 17 finally introduces support for the RAW14 format, the industry standard for high-end digital photography.
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Android 17 will unleash the full power of your smartphone’s camera
So we can imagine more and more smartphones offering to capture images with a much higher bit depth, with unprecedented editing latitude.
The system also adapts to the realities of accessibility. A new specific category for LE Audio Bluetooth hearing aids makes its appearance.
Users can now choose to independently route notifications, ringtones, or alarms to their hearing aids or to the device’s speakers.
Security and privacy: the end of “all or nothing”
Security is not left behind. With this Beta 3, Google reinforces protection against code injection attacks. Now, all native libraries dynamically loaded by applications must be marked as “read-only“. It is an additional technical barrier that makes the task of malware much more difficult.
There is also a new feature for privacy: a system location button that can be integrated directly into apps. Instead of giving permanent (and creepy) access to your location, a simple click on this button grants access only for the current session. It’s granular control for the user.
For reference, Google also indicates that the stable final version is expected in the second quarter of 2026 for Android 17.
To go further
Android 17: the ultimate dossier to learn everything about the upcoming update for your smartphones and tablets
