![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-17-featured-image.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
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Stable Android 16<\/a> has been rolling out to Pixel devices and the rest of the Android clan, and Google has already confirmed all the features coming with the stable platform release. We\u2019ve also gotten our hands on Android 16 QPR betas<\/a> and even Android 16 QPR1 stable<\/a>, which gives us a peek at the features expected to come with the next platform release, Android 17. These spotted features and the other features that weren\u2019t confirmed for Android 16 help us paint a picture of what\u2019s possibly coming with Android 17. Here\u2019s what we know so far about the next big platform update for Android!<\/p>\n Android 17: Name<\/p>\n Rita El Khoury \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Google used to name Android versions with dessert codenames, but it strayed away from that tradition with the release of Android 10, choosing to stick with only the version number for all future releases. Consequently, Android 17 will most likely be known simply as \u201cAndroid 17,\u201d with no dessert codename officially used for public-facing branding.<\/p>\n However, Google still uses the dessert codename internally. Android 15\u2019s codename was Vanilla Ice Cream, while Android 16 jumped all the way back to \u201cB\u201d with Baklava<\/a>. Google has decided on Cinnamon Bun as Android 17\u2019s dessert codename<\/a>. A trusted source within Google shared evidence with us that clearly shows the company using \u201cCinnamonBun\u201d as the internal codename for API level 37.0, i.e., for Android 17.<\/p>\n A cinnamon bun \u2014 also called a cinnamon roll or swirl \u2014 is a sweet, baked pastry made of rolled dough filled with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and often topped with glaze or icing. It\u2019s a popular dessert in northern Europe and North America, with several well-known chains specializing in its creation.<\/p>\n Android 17: Expected release date<\/p>\n Google has been switching things up with the Android 15 and Android 16 releases. Android 15 decoupled the platform update from the Pixel 9 series, giving the software release its independent timeline. Android 16 gave the platform a new timetable, with a major SDK release in Q2 and a minor SDK release promised for Q4.<\/p>\n For Android 17, we presume Google will continue on the path it set for itself with Android 16. Thus, unless things change for Android 17, we expect a major SDK release in Q2 2026 and a minor SDK release in Q4 2026.<\/p>\n There are some changes expected for Android 17 Developer Previews, though. Google has replaced Developer Previews with Android Canary builds<\/a>:<\/p>\n Moving forward, the Android platform will have a Canary release channel, which will replace the previous developer preview program. This Canary release channel will function alongside the existing beta program.<\/p>\n This change is designed to provide a more streamlined and continuous opportunity for you to try out new platform capabilities and provide feedback throughout the entire year, not just in the early months of a new release cycle.<\/p>\n For the stable release, you might have to wait quite a while. Google released the stable Android 16 release on June 10, 2025, so you will have to give the company about a year before you can expect another major Android release. Presuming Google doesn\u2019t change its timelines, we expect stable Android 17 to release sometime in June 2026 based on historical trends.<\/p>\n Material 3 Expressive<\/p>\n This sweeping UI update is a significant step in Google\u2019s ongoing effort to make Android and Wear OS more visually engaging, emotionally resonant, and interactive. Some of its highlights include:<\/p>\n Springier, natural-feeling animations that enhance touch interactions You can learn more about Material 3 Expressive in our deep dive article<\/a>.<\/p>\n Desktop Mode and related changes<\/p>\n Google has been working on developing its own DeX-like Desktop Mode experience for Android<\/a>. This feature offers an intuitive, desktop-like interface on external displays, complete with a taskbar for launching pinned or recent apps in freeform windows.<\/p>\n Google announced this Desktop Mode as an Android 16 feature. However, the first stable Android 16 release does not include this feature, not even for Pixel devices. Instead, Pixel phones got this feature with Android 16 QPR1. We expect Android OEMs to bake in the feature for their phones with Android 17.<\/p>\n Compared to the current, barebones desktop interface that appears when you connect a Pixel device to an external display, Android\u2019s new desktop mode actually displays the taskbar and status bar. The taskbar is a big addition, as it provides access to your pinned apps and a better version of the app drawer. The taskbar can also show recent apps while in desktop mode, making it easier to multitask.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also possible to launch multiple apps in floating windows simultaneously using the new desktop mode. Further, you can freely move, resize, or snap windows to the side, just like on desktop operating systems. This makes it easy to drag and drop content from one app to another, provided the apps you\u2019re using support drag-and-drop.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 includes shortcuts to\u00a0quickly pin or unpin apps from the taskbar<\/a>. When long-pressing an app icon in the app drawer, you\u2019ll see a \u201cpin to taskbar\u201d shortcut in the context menu, while you\u2019ll see an \u201cunpin from taskbar\u201d shortcut\u00a0when long-pressing an app icon on the taskbar.<\/p>\n Desktop Mode is enabled by default on tablets, where it extends the desktop windowing feature introduced in Android 15 QPR1. The tablet screen can act as a second monitor, allowing you to seamlessly move app windows and the mouse cursor between it and the external display.<\/p>\n When desktop windowing is active on a tablet, Android displays the icons of recently opened apps in the taskbar. If many apps have recently been opened, the taskbar will be full of icons, which can feel overwhelming. To address this, Google added the taskbar overflow button<\/a> with the release of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2<\/a>. The taskbar overflow feature provides \u201ca simple, visual way for you to find the app you need when the taskbar is full.\u201d Tapping the overflow button opens a horizontally scrolling carousel that shows previews of your recent apps.<\/p>\n You can see a gray, circular button located after the divider separating pinned and recent apps. Tapping it opens the overflow menu.<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR1 allows users to configure what happens when they\u00a0tap the touchpad with three fingers<\/a>. They\u00a0can set it to perform a middle click, launch the assistant, go home, go back, or view recent apps.<\/p>\n Live Updates is one of the highlight features of Android 16, but it\u2019s absent from the first stable Android 16 release<\/a>. Instead, the first release supports progress-centric notifications, a new type of notification that merely displays progress and milestones on ride-share and food delivery apps.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n In the first Android 16 stable release, the Android system treats these notifications just like other notifications. These are intended to save developers from building a custom solution to display progress in the notifications, giving them a standard format that is easier to adopt for their apps.<\/p>\n The full Live Updates experience includes Live Updates notifications appearing on the Always On Display, at the top of the notification list on the lock screen, in the Heads-Up display, and as a chip in the Status Bar. This experience resembles Apple\u2019s Live Activities introduced in iOS 16, though Android\u2019s implementation excludes media player apps<\/a> from its scope.<\/p>\n An example of Live Updates from the Uber Eats app on the AOD (left), lock screen (left middle), status bar (right middle), and heads-up notification (right).<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Managing Live Updates is also straightforward. You can press and hold a notification and tap \u201cTurn off,\u201d or disable the feature from the app\u2019s main notification settings page.<\/p>\n The full Live Updates experience is live on Android 16 QPR1 stable for Pixel devices, though it also needs apps to support the feature.<\/p>\n Improvements to Factory Reset Protection<\/p>\n At The Android Show: I\/O Edition, Google announced<\/a> that Android\u2019s existing Factory Reset Protection mechanisms will become even more powerful later in the year. While Android already has several mechanisms to deter bypassing the setup screen after triggering a factory reset, these new protections will restrict all functionalities on devices that are reset without the owner\u2019s authorization.<\/p>\n Android will likely detect if someone bypassed the setup wizard (to bypass previous factory reset protection mechanisms), and will thus force another factory reset cyclically, preventing unauthorized use until the user proves ownership.<\/p>\n Since these upgrades are coming later in the year, they will not be part of the first stable release of Android 16. Instead, we expect this update to come with the Android 16 QPR1 update for Pixel devices and then to the wider platform with Android 17.<\/p>\n Customizable keyboard shortcuts<\/p>\n Android has many keyboard shortcuts for system actions and launching apps. In past releases, these were not customizable. Android 16 now lets you edit them<\/a>, so for example, you could add \u201cMeta + Shift + B\u201d as an alternative key combination to launch the Chrome browser.<\/p>\n Intrusion Logging<\/p>\n Google announced Intrusion Logging<\/a> as a new feature in Android 16 that will help users detect if their device has been compromised. Intrusion Logging collects \u201cactivity logs\u201d which include details such as USB connection events, network info like browsing history, app installs, Bluetooth connections, lock screen info, and Wi-Fi connections. Your activity logs are encrypted using your Google account password and device lock screen, ensuring only you can view them. These logs are stored in a \u201cprivate and encrypted Google Drive,\u201d providing further protection against unauthorized access.<\/p>\n While the API is already available in Android 16, Google hasn\u2019t yet integrated Intrusion Logging into Google Play Services. Consequently, the feature will roll out later in the year, possibly as part of an Android 16 QPR, or even Android 17.<\/p>\n Better app adaptability<\/p>\n However, Android 16 still allows app developers to opt out of this change. With the Android release in 2026, i.e., Android 17, this change will become mandatory, and developers will not be able to opt out.<\/p>\n Vulkan 1.4 support and mandatory ANGLE support<\/p>\n Vulkan allows developers to capitalize on the performance of modern smartphone GPUs to unlock features like ray tracing in games or multithreading.<\/p>\n Google announced in March 2025 that Vulkan is the official graphics API for Android<\/a>. Essentially, Google aims to establish Vulkan as the GPU hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for Android, requiring all apps and games utilizing the phone\u2019s GPU to do so through Vulkan. This includes: game engines, middleware, and layered APIs like Android\u2019s HWUI, Skia, WebGPU, and ANGLE.<\/p>\n Starting with Android 16, Google said that \u201cmore devices will use Vulkan to process all graphics commands.\u201d Specifically, Android 16 requires some newer devices to use ANGLE for some applications (meaning, only applications on an approved list will use ANGLE).<\/p>\n With the Android 17 release, Google will require new devices to use ANGLE for most applications (essentially, switching from an allowlist, meaning only certain apps utilize ANGLE, to a denylist, meaning all apps utilize ANGLE except for those on a specific list.) By \u201cnew devices,\u201d Google is referring to devices that ship with chipsets built for the new Android release, as devices upgrading to the new release won\u2019t be forced to meet these new ANGLE requirements, in accordance with the Google Requirements Freeze<\/a> program.<\/p>\n Android 17: Leaked and upcoming features<\/p>\n Google has shared some details about Android 17 through its official announcements, but we\u2019ve spotted a ton of changes in Google\u2019s QPR updates that help paint a more complete picture of the changes we can expect to see in the final Android 17 release.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s QPR updates and what they tell us about future Android releases<\/p>\n The Android platform follows an annual release schedule, which OEMs and the world at large have access to. Google also follows a second public release schedule for its Pixel devices in the form of QPR updates.<\/p>\n QPR refers to Quarterly Platform Release, an update track in which updates are released once every three months (quarter). So, we generally get an annual Android platform update on Pixels, followed by three QPR releases and then the next annual Android platform update.<\/p>\n While the features included in the Android platform update are final and available to the world, features released in the QPR updates are available exclusively to Pixel devices until the next Android platform update incorporates them. Further, Google also runs a separate beta program for the QPRs months in advance.<\/p>\n This gives us situations where we can try out new features coming to Android 17 (by checking them out in Android 16 QPR1 betas) before the stable Android 16 update is even launched! Later QPR betas give us even more features that can be chalked up to the next platform release, unless they are completely Pixel-exclusive.<\/p>\n As a result, we have a list of features that are coming to upcoming Android 16 QPR releases for Pixel devices, which are also likely to be added to the next Android platform update, Android 17. Let\u2019s check them out!<\/p>\n Local Network Protection<\/p>\n Android 16 Beta 3 officially added the ability to test an upcoming \u201cLocal Network Protection\u201d feature, which Google says is planned for a future Android major release, which we presume is Android 17.<\/p>\n Essentially, any app with the \u201cINTERNET\u201d permission can communicate with the Internet worldwide and with devices on the user\u2019s local network. Local Network Protection will eventually require apps to request specific permission to access the local network. With Android 16 Beta 3, Google is giving app developers a chance to test if their apps are affected by this upcoming change.<\/p>\n Android\u2019s big UI overhaul<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Old vs new app drawer UI in the Pixel Launcher<\/p>\n With the above-mentioned Material 3 Expressive changes, Google is also planning a big UI overhaul for Android<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0expressive animations<\/a> to accompany it. These changes were spotted and activated within Android 16 Beta 4, and are available widely with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, but they are unlikely to be available with the Android 16 stable release. Instead, they could come with a future QPR release or Android 17 and beyond in the stable branch.<\/p>\n As part of the UI overhaul, we expect changes across several important areas, like status bar icons, clock font, combined notifications, Quick Settings panel, cleaner lock screen with collapsed notifications, and so much more. The changes are pretty voluminous to list here, so check out our original coverage for the whole scoop.<\/p>\n Swapped position for Wi-Fi and network icon in the status bar<\/p>\n Android has long presented these status bar icons in the order: Wi-Fi, mobile network, battery, from left to right. While very minor, this order gives the right of your status bar a visual hierarchy, with the Wi-Fi and network icons complementing each other visually in shape, while the battery icon stays solid.<\/p>\n Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Android 16 Stable<\/p>\n Aamir Siddiqui \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2<\/p>\n This order gives them a more spaced-out look, each standing more independently and less complementary.<\/p>\n Google hasn\u2019t explained why this change is in the QPR1 Beta 2 release, but if you want to take a guess, have a look at the iOS status bar:<\/p>\n Aamir Siddiqui \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n iOS 18 and iOS 26<\/p>\n Google is also changing up how you control these settings for app icons, eliminating the existing toggle for themed icon colors and now presenting you with a screen of options:<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Expanded Dark theme<\/p>\n With Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, Google has added a new \u201cexpanded option under dark theme\u201d that allows the system to \u201cintelligently invert the UI of apps that appear light despite users having selected the dark theme.\u201d<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n The expanded dark theme aims to create a \u201cmore consistent user experience for users who have low vision, photosensitivity, or simply those who prefer a dark system-wide appearance.\u201d When enabled, the system uses apps\u2019 isLightTheme attribute to determine whether to apply inversion. \u201cIf your app inherits from one of the standard DayNight themes, this is done automatically for you, otherwise make sure to declare isLightTheme=\u201dfalse\u201d in your dark theme to ensure your app is not inadvertently inverted.\u201d<\/p>\n This is intended only as an accessibility feature, hence Google recommends developers implement a native dark theme if they haven\u2019t already.<\/p>\n Organized Sound Settings<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 cleans up the Sound & vibration submenu<\/a> within the Settings app. Instead of presenting every setting in a single vertical list, Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 separates them by category.<\/p>\n For instance, the \u201cphone ringtone,\u201d \u201cdefault notification sound,\u201d and \u201cdefault alarm sound\u201d options are now grouped under a new \u201csound patterns\u201d section. Meanwhile, the \u201cSpatial Audio\u201d and \u201cMedia\u201d items are under a new \u201cAudio\u201d section. The five volume sliders remain at the top of the page, but they\u2019ve been updated with the more modern Material 3 Expressive design seen in the volume panel. Furthermore, the \u201caudio will play on\u201d entry no longer sits awkwardly between the media and call volume sliders but has been moved to the very top.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a gallery showing the Sound & Vibration settings page in Android 16 versus Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2:<\/p>\n Google introduced wallpaper support on the Always On Display back in 2018 with Android 9 Pie, and briefly implemented it on the Pixel 3 series before removing it on future models. Once again, Google has been working on an AOD wallpaper implementation called \u201cambient AOD<\/a>.\u201d We managed to get the feature working before its launch for these screenshots, showcasing the lock screen wallpaper and the corresponding AOD counterparts:<\/p>\n As expected, the feature is still a work in progress and quite buggy at the moment. Code for the feature suggests that it will only be supported by particular displays, indicating that it could be restricted to some upcoming devices, like the Pixel 10 series.<\/p>\n Thankfully, the feature will be optional. We spotted clues<\/a> within Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 that suggest the feature will be under Settings > Display & touch.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Lock screen widgets<\/p>\n Android used to allow lock screen widgets in its early days, but the feature was removed in Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014. Google has been working on bringing back lock screen widget support, and Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 finally adds them for the Pixel Tablet<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n To access them, swipe inward from the right edge of the lock screen. Then, tap the \u201ccustomize\u201d card to open the widget editor, where you can add, remove, or reorder your widgets.<\/p>\n With Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1, we managed to activate a feature that lets you resize any lock screen widget<\/a> to take up an entire column. This will allow certain widgets to show more information at a glance, as demonstrated in the video embedded below:<\/p>\n These widgets are currently intended for tablets only, not phones. However, if you are curious, lock screen widgets will indeed come to phones<\/a>, too. Google has mentioned that lock screen widgets will be available in AOSP for tablets and mobile with the release of Android 16 QPR1, slated to arrive in late Summer 2025.<\/p>\n We managed to activate it on Android 16 Beta 2.1 for a demo:<\/p>\n As you can see in the video above, lock screen widgets on phones will work differently than they do on tablets. The 2\u00d73 grid seen on tablets is too wide for the narrow displays of most phones, so Google\u2019s solution is to display one column of widgets at a time. More importantly, the \u201cglanceable hub\u201d isn\u2019t accessed by swiping inward from the right edge of the lock screen, as it is on tablets. Instead, it\u2019s accessed by triggering the screen saver by placing the phone on a charger or docking it and, in the future, by placing it upright on a stand.<\/p>\n Google says that OEMs can customize the mechanism that triggers the lock screen widget experience, but not the interface itself.<\/p>\n Secure Lock Device<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 introduces a new \u201csystem-level security state\u201d called \u201cSecure Lock Device.\u201d When Secure Lock Device is enabled (which can happen remotely via Find Hub<\/a>), Google says that \u201cthe device locks immediately and requires the primary PIN, pattern, or password to unlock, heightening security.\u201d Furthermore, \u201cnotifications and quick affordances on the lock screen will be hidden, and biometric unlock may be temporarily disabled.\u201d<\/p>\n Disable Failed Authentication Lock<\/p>\n A toggle in Android 16 QPR2 will let you disable Failed Authentication Lock<\/a>. Google says that \u201ca user-facing toggle is being added to Theft Protection Settings, allowing users to enable or disable the \u2018Failed Authentication Lock\u2019 security feature (introduced in Android 15) that automatically locks down your device after multiple failed login attempts.\u201d<\/p>\n Min Mode<\/p>\n Within 2510 Android Canary release, we\u2019ve spotted clues about an upcoming \u201cMin Mode<\/a>\u201d feature. Min Mode is a part of the Always On Display (AOD), but it is not a replacement; rather, it is a new, separate version.<\/p>\n Min Mode still uses the same ultra-low-power display state as the regular AOD, meaning brightness, refresh rate, and colors are limited. However, instead of the clock and notifications, it displays a full-screen application. While Android will typically show the regular AOD when the screen times out, it can transition to the new Min Mode AOD if an app requests it.<\/p>\n MMin Mode feature is also application-aware. It checks which application and activity were running before the screen turned off and which component is set to display when the AOD activates.<\/p>\n Essentially, Min Mode appears to be a mechanism for enabling persistent live activities on Android. Apps can provide minimal, AOD-compliant activities for the OS to display while the device is idle, enabling richer, more glanceable experiences without sacrificing battery life.<\/p>\n We recently spotted evidence that Google Maps might be one of the first apps to use the new AOD Min Mode. Google Maps has been spotted developing an extremely minimalist power-saving mode<\/a> that strips away almost all UI elements, making the interface monochrome.<\/p>\n This feature could make an appearance with Android 17 as that is the next available window for adding new APIs.<\/p>\n With this new gesture, you can double-tap on an empty spot of the lock screen to turn off your Pixel phone\u2019s screen.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Many Android phones already have this feature on their skins, but it would be the first time Pixels get it. The feature could also come to the broader Android platform.<\/p>\n Enhanced HDR brightness<\/p>\n Google is currently testing an \u201cEnhanced HDR brightness<\/a>\u201d setting that will allow you to control how much HDR content brightens your Pixel phone\u2019s screen. This setting, present under Settings > Display & touch > Enhanced HDR brightness, will include both a toggle to disable HDR support entirely as well as a slider to adjust the HDR effect\u2019s intensity.<\/p>\n With the feature disabled, a \u201cstandard\u201d (SDR) image and an HDR image will look the same on screen. When enabled, adjusting the slider will dynamically alter the brightness of specific elements within an HDR image, such as the sky or water. This control is possible because the HDR display mode enhances supported images and videos by boosting their brightness, expanding their color range, and improving their clarity.<\/p>\n This SDR\/HDR brightness slider is available to users with Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1.<\/p>\n Split Notification and Quick Settings panel\n<\/p>\n While Google didn\u2019t showcase the split notification and quick settings panel when it showed off the Material 3 Expressive changes coming to the operating system, the company hasn\u2019t abandoned the change<\/a>, as we could spot progress in the code with the release of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1. The feature could arrive in future Android 16 QPRs to Pixels and subsequently with Android 17 to the rest of the Android ecosystem. However, several OEMs already offer the split panels as an option, so many of us don\u2019t actually need to wait to use this feature.<\/p>\n Gemini-powered Notification \u201cMagic Actions\u201d<\/p>\n In 2018, Android 9 released Smart Reply, which provides suggested replies as tappable chips beneath a notification for quick responses. Android 10 expanded this with Smart Actions, offering contextual actions based on notification content. This Smart Actions feature powers the \u201cOpen Maps\u201d chip when a notification includes an address. Smart Replies and Smart Actions are powered by on-device machine learning models, but are limited to short, canned replies that might not fully appreciate the context.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve spotted evidence with Android 16 that suggests Google is developing a more advanced version of Smart Actions, dubbed \u201cMagic Actions<\/a>.\u201d When the Magic Action feature is enabled, Android will hide Smart Actions and instead prominently display a new Magic Action button. This button is slated to receive \u201cspecial visual treatment,\u201d possibly indicating a custom animation when it appears or is tapped. Speculatively, the feature could tap into Google\u2019s Gemini model to generate more personalized and powerful actions.<\/p>\n Recents screen changes<\/p>\n With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, Google made some subtle changes to the Recents screen<\/a>. Previously, only the app\u2019s icon appeared above its task. Now, the Recents screen displays the app\u2019s icon, name, and a downward-pointing arrow within a small pill-shaped button overlaid on the task.<\/p>\n Displaying the app\u2019s name is a welcome clarification, clearly identifying which app corresponds to each task preview. The most impactful change, however, is the addition of the downward arrow. This icon is widely understood to indicate an additional menu, so its presence should help more users realize they can access further actions directly from the recents screen.<\/p>\n The dedicated \u201cScreenshot\u201d and \u201cSelect\u201d buttons are now also enclosed in pill-shaped containers, creating a more consistent look in the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 release. Furthermore, the previously solid gray background has been replaced with a blurred version of the user\u2019s wallpaper or underlying content, a visual effect aligning with Google\u2019s new Material 3 Expressive theme.<\/p>\n This change is live in Android 16 QPR1 stable release for Pixel devices.<\/p>\n Quicker swiping in Recents<\/p>\n With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, users noticed that swiping away apps in the Recents menu is now faster<\/a> than ever before. Previously, when you opened a bunch of apps, went to Recents (swipe up and hold from the navigation pill), and tried to close the apps, you would have to wait for the full animation to complete before you could successfully swipe close the next app. The system would seemingly ignore touch input until the animation was finished.<\/p>\n With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, Pixel users can immediately swipe away all apps as fast as possible, as the system no longer waits for the animation to finish. You can catch a demo of this in the video below, courtesy of the Reddit user:<\/p>\n This feature is live for Pixels on Android 16 QPR1 stable release.<\/p>\n Until now, tapping on the call chip would bring you to the full-screen call UI. In Android 16 QPR1, this has changed to display the same UI element that you\u2019d see in the notification shade, where you can hang up, toggle the speaker, and mute your microphone. To access the full-screen UI, tap this pop-up.<\/p>\n The feature went live on Pixels with Android 16 QPR1 stable update.<\/p>\n 90:10 split-screen multitasking on phones<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 brings the long-awaited 90:10 split screen ratio<\/a>, which is heavily inspired by (but not directly based on) OPPO\u2019s Boundless View<\/a> (also known as Open Canvas on OnePlus devices). This feature is planned for launch in QPR2, so you can expect to see it in the wider Android platform with Android 17.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Enhanced UWB support<\/p>\n Google is preparing to upgrade Android\u2019s UWB stack with features from the FiRa 3.0 core specification<\/a>. This new spec adds features like hybrid UWB scheduling, which allows multiple UWB applications and features to run concurrently. It also improves data transfer by allocating exclusive airtime to it, boosts the quality and integrity of UWB pulses, and enhances the security of the protocol\u2019s physical layer. These enhancements will enable more sophisticated UWB use cases, like public transport fare collection, contactless payments, and logical access control.<\/p>\n We expect the changes to arrive with the Android 16 QPR2 release, which means the wider platform will likely get them with Android 17.<\/p>\n Screen recorder toolbar<\/p>\n As Android makes its way to PCs, Google is revamping the screen recording experience to better suit these large-screen devices, an effort that will benefit not only future Android PCs but also Android tablets. Code for the mentioned changes is present in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3, but the changes aren\u2019t live just yet.<\/p>\n The most visible change to the screen recorder is the replacement of the pop-up dialog with a new toolbar. When you tap the Quick Setting tile, a toolbar will appear over your current screen. While it can\u2019t be moved or resized yet, it takes up less space than the old dialog and lets you see the content underneath.<\/p>\n This new toolbar also introduces new options, including a \u201cshow selfie camera\u201d toggle. This presumably lets you record video from the front-facing camera while capturing your screen.<\/p>\n The toolbar retains the old options for recording a single app, showing touches, and recording audio, though the audio settings have been tweaked. Instead of a dropdown menu, the audio options are now listed as separate toggles, which, in my opinion, creates a cleaner look.<\/p>\n The other big change Google is making is to the post-capture experience. Currently, when you finish a screen recording, Android sends a notification that it has been saved. Tapping this notification prompts you to open the file in a video player app because Android lacks a native UI for viewing screen recordings.<\/p>\n In a future release, Android will add a dedicated post-capture UI for screen recordings, similar to the one for screenshots. Tapping the \u201crecording saved\u201d notification will launch a new screen with a simple video player, featuring a seekbar, a play\/pause button, and a mute button. Below the player, you\u2019ll find several options: retake, edit, delete, and share.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n The \u201cretake\u201d button will be handy for quickly starting over after a mistake, while the \u201cdelete\u201d button adds a convenient way to discard a recording without having to find it in your gallery. To prevent accidents, Android will ask for confirmation before deleting. As you\u2019d expect, the \u201cshare\u201d button will launch the system\u2019s share menu, and the \u201cedit\u201d button will prompt you to open the video in a compatible media editor.<\/p>\n While not shown in these images, Google is also working on adding partial screen capture support. Strings in the latest Android beta suggest you\u2019ll be able to capture a \u201cselected area\u201d rather than the \u201centire screen\u201d for both screenshots and screen recordings. There will also be a new, customizable keyboard shortcut for taking a partial screenshot.<\/p>\n Standby for Hub Mode<\/p>\n The evidence for this isn\u2019t strong, but Google could be working on Standby for Hub mode<\/a>, similar to iOS\u2019s Standby Mode<\/a>, which transforms the iPhone into a mini smart display. When Hub Mode arrives on Pixels with Android 16 QPR1 (and other Android devices with Android 17), users will be able to seamlessly switch between their screen saver (displaying clocks, photo frames, etc.) and their widgets, similar to how iOS\u2019s Standby Mode functions.<\/p>\n Magnify Keyboard<\/p>\n Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 has a new \u201cmagnify keyboard<\/a>\u201d option under Settings > Accessibility > Magnification. This feature lets you \u201czoom into the keyboard to see emojis and letters when using full-screen magnification.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the feature is spotted in Beta 3, it\u2019ll likely be available in Android 16 QPR1 stable release for Pixel devices, and subsequently with Android 17 for the rest of the Android platform.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Under Settings > Accessibility > Color & motion, there\u2019s a new \u201creduce blur effects\u201d that \u201cmake[s] backgrounds and panels easier to see.\u201d<\/p>\n Toggling it disables background blur in the Quick Settings panel, the notification shade, the lock screen, the app drawer, and the recent apps menu.<\/p>\n Basically, anywhere that the Material 3 Expressive redesign added background blur, this setting will now disable.<\/p>\n Universal Cursor setting<\/p>\n In Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, there\u2019s a new \u201cUniversal cursor\u201d setting<\/a> under Settings > Connected devices > External displays. This setting controls whether your mouse moves seamlessly between your phone and the external display when it reaches the edge of a screen.<\/p>\n The feature is enabled by default, but you can turn it off if you find yourself accidentally moving the mouse to your phone\u2019s screen too often. Disabling it also removes the ability to change the display topology (i.e., rearrange your displays), since that feature\u2019s only purpose is to define where the cursor transitions between screens.<\/p>\n This feature is expected to go live with the stable Android 16 QPR2 release in December and the rest of the Android platform with Android 17.<\/p>\n EyeDropper color picker<\/p>\n In the 2510 Android Canary update, Google has added a new system application named \u201cEyeDropper<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s a small, simple app with a single purpose: providing a public API for other Android apps to implement a color picker.<\/p>\n This new, native solution means developers will no longer need to build their own in-app color pickers or import third-party libraries, which will simplify development, save time, and slightly reduce the file size of their apps.<\/p>\n Since the app uses a new API, the next window for when it will be released to the stable branch is Android 17.<\/p>\n New companion device profile for medical device apps<\/p>\n In 2021, Google introduced companion device profiles with Android 12 to simplify the setup process for apps that connect to accessories like smartwatches. Instead of requesting permissions one by one, these apps can use a device profile to show a single, bundled permission prompt. Furthermore, Android prioritizes the app\u2019s process whenever the companion device is nearby or connected. This makes it much less likely for the OS to kill the app\u2019s background service when memory is low.<\/p>\n Android currently offers two companion device profiles for third-party applications: the Watch profile and the Glasses profile. Within Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2, we found code for a third companion device profile for third-party apps, specifically the \u201cMedical\u201d profile<\/a>. This new profile is intended for companion apps to medical devices, granting permissions for posting notifications, managing Bluetooth connections, and sending alerts at precise times.<\/p>\n The new Medical role provides a standardized way for Android to recognize that an app has a critical function, ensuring it\u2019s prioritized over standard battery and memory conservation measures<\/p>\n These are all the changes we expect to see in the Android 17 platform update in 2026. Let us know your favorite upcoming feature in the comments below!<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-17-Cinnamon-bun-hero-image-2.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Material](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Material-3-Main-header-Google.jpg\"\/ "\\"Material")
<\/p>\n
\nNew icon shapes and refreshed typography
\nBackground blur effects for depth and focus
\nUpdated color themes
\nHome screen and Quick Settings enhancements for a more dynamic layout
\nVisual redesigns for many Google apps, bringing them in line with the new expressive aesthetic<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_desktop_mode_app_drawer-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_desktop_mode_status_bar_pulled_down-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_desktop_mode_windows_side_by_side-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-16-taskbar-overflow-feature.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Touchpad](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Touchpad-settings-in-Android-16-QPR1.png\"\/ "\\"Touchpad")
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Three-finger-tap-touchpad-gesture-settings-in-Android-16-QPR1.png\"\/ "\\"Three")
Live Updates<\/p>\n![\"Progress](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Progress-centric_notifications_in_Android_16.jpg\"\/ "\\"Progress")
<\/p>\n![\"Demo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Demo-of-Live-Updates-from-Uber-Eats-in-Android-16.jpg\"\/ "\\"Demo")
<\/p>\n![\"Live](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Live-Update-on-the-lock-screen-in-Android-16-QPR1-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"Live")
<\/p>\n![\"Custom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Custom-Live-Update-showing-as-status-bar-chip-in-Android-16-QPR1.png\"\/ "\\"Custom")
![\"Custom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Custom-Live-Update-expanded-from-status-bar-chip-in-Android-16-QPR1.png\"\/ "\\"Custom")
![\"Live](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Live-Update-on-the-AOD-in-Android-16-QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"Live")
![\"Live](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Live-Update-on-the-AOD-with-a-wallpaper-in-Android-16-QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"Live")
<\/p>\n![\"Factory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Factory-reset-protection-dialog-telling-user-to-factory-reset-again.png\"\/ "\\"Factory")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-16-adaptive-apps.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-Vulkan-Strategy.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Old](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Old_vs_new_Pixel_Launcher_app_drawer_with_blur_in_Android.jpg\"\/ "\\"Old")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-16-stable-Status-bar-icons.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-16-QPR1-beta-2-Status-bar-icons.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"iOS](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iOS-18-Status-bar-icons.jpg\"\/ "\\"iOS"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"a16](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/a16-qpr2-b1-auto-icon-2.jpg\"\/ "\\"a16"){kind=icon}
![\"a16](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/a16-qpr2-b1-auto-icon-1.jpg\"\/ "\\"a16"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"a16](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a16-qpr2-b1-auto-icon-3.jpg\"\/ "\\"a16"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"July](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/July_2025_Android_Canary_expanded_dark_mode-scaled.png\"\/ "\\"July")
<\/p>\n![\"Sound](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sound_and_vibration_settings_in_Android_16_QPR1_Beta_1.png\"\/ "\\"Sound")
Sound & vibration settings in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1![\"Sound](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sound_and_vibration_settings_in_Android_16_QPR1_Beta_2.png\"\/ "\\"Sound")
Sound & vibration settings in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2Ambient Always On Display: Blurred wallpaper on lock screen<\/p>\n![\"Show](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Show_lock_screen_wallpaper_setting_in_Android_16_QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"Show")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_15_QPR1_Beta_2_lock_screen_widgets.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Double](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Double_tap_to_sleep_settings_in_Android_16_QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"Double")
<\/p>\n![\"canary](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/canary-hdr-controls-1-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"canary")
![\"canary](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/canary-hdr-controls-2-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"canary")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_16_dual_shade_demo_notifications_panel.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
In-development notification panel UI in Android 16.![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android_16_dual_shade_demo_Quick_Settings_panel.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/New-recents-menu-UI-in-Android-16-QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"New")
![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/New-recents-context-menu-in-Android-16-QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"New")
<\/p>\n![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Android-Split-Screen-ratios-in-July-Canary-build.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
<\/p>\n![\"Old](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Old-screen-recorder-dialog-in-Android-scaled.png\"\/ "\\"Old")
Current screen recorder dialog in Android.![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/New-screen-recorder-toolbar-in-Android-scaled.png\"\/ "\\"New")
Upcoming screen recorder toolbar UI in Android.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/New-screen-recorder-editor-in-Android-scaled.png\"\/ "\\"New")
<\/p>\n![\"Screen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screen-magnification-options-in-Android-16-QPR1.jpg\"\/ "\\"Screen")
Screen magnification options in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2![\"Magnify](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Magnify-keyboard-accessibility-option-in-Android-July-Canary-build-scaled.png\"\/ "\\"Magnify")
Screen magnification options in July Android Canary\/QPR1 Beta 3 build<\/p>\n![\"Reduce](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Reduce-blur-effects-toggle-in-Android-16-QPR2-Beta-2.jpg\"\/ "\\"Reduce")
<\/p>\n![\"Material](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Material-3-Expressive-UI-on-Pixels-with-background-blur.jpg\"\/ "\\"Material")
![\"Material](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Material-3-Expressive-UI-on-Pixels-without-background-blur.jpg\"\/ "\\"Material")
<\/p>\n