After being in beta since February, Google officially released a stable version of Android 17 on June 16. As is the company’s usual practice, Google Pixel phones received the new software first. If you own a supported Pixel (they have some really cool exclusive features) and haven’t updated yet, you can do so in your device’s Settings app or via an update notification. Any Pixel phone from the Pixel 6 and going forward is supported. This means that if you have a Pixel 5 or an older model, you unfortunately won’t be able to update to Android 17.
Here’s the full list of supported Pixels: Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Pixel 10a. Google has already started rolling out the July update and fixes for supported Pixel phones that run Android 17. The tech titan noted that it may take a week until all the updates are fully rolled out. Carriers can definitely have a say in that timeline as well, so a little patience will go a long way. This update is mostly about bug fixes and user interface improvements.
What’s new with Android 17?
As for Android 17 itself, the new operating system brings several impressive new features. Probably the most notable is the Bubbles feature, which lets you turn any app into a small, floating window that remains on top of other applications. If you’re a multitasker, this is practically tailor-made for you. Screen recording got an update as well, as with a few taps, you can now film yourself with the selfie camera and record your screen at the same time.
Mobile gamers also get a treat, provided they have a foldable device such as Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, or Pixel 10 Pro Fold. With Android 17, on foldable devices, the screen is split 50/50, where the game goes on top and a responsive gamepad sits below, giving you more room to see and tap. Google noted that this feature is coming in the next few months.
Android 17 comes with improved security and safety features too, like the ability to give an app temporary access to your exact location and share just certain contacts instead of your whole address book. Also, Live Threat Detection now catches more shady apps and scams, while Advanced Protection mode is fine-tuned for better results. Additionally, Google limited the number of PIN tries and made the wait longer after failed attempts. To note, all of these features aren’t only for Google Pixel phones, as other Android 17-compatible phones (including Samsung) will get them in the near future.
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