GoKawiilAfter four months of beta testing, the day has finally come: Android 17 is now officially rolling out to Pixel phones. We’ve been keeping a close eye on Android 17 ever since Beta 1 launched back in February, and now that the update is available for everyone, Pixel users across the globe have a heap of new features and changes to sink their teeth into.
Big Android updates like this are exciting, but they can also be a little overwhelming. If you haven’t been tracking the various beta releases, you probably don’t know where to start after downloading Android 17.
Thankfully, I do. After months of playing with the betas and now having downloaded the official build on my Pixel 10 Pro Fold, here are the eight best features you need to try once you download Android 17.
What's your favorite new feature in Android 17? 75 votes Multitasking app bubbles 31 % New screen recording UI 5 % Hide app names 12 % Expanded dark theme controls 12 % Temporary precise location access 11 % Split Wi-Fi/data quick settings toggles 16 % Satellite quick settings tile 3 % Assistant volume 11 %
Multitasking bubbles
Joe Maring / Android Authority
If there’s one hallmark feature of Android 17, it’s app bubbles. What are app bubbles? Precisely what the name suggests — a way to run your apps in bubbles. Why would you want to do this? Because it’s a fantastic boon for multitasking.
Using app bubbles is extremely easy: press and hold on an application (on your home screen or in your app drawer), tap Bubble, and that app is opened in a new bubble UI — taking up most of your phone display, though you can quickly close the app by tapping its bubble icon at the top of your display. When you do this, the app minimizes, though the icon remains on the side of your screen for easy access, no matter what you’re doing. As you bubble more apps, you can quickly switch between them from the bubble UI, and all of your bubbled apps are always present with just a tap on the edge of your display.
There are a lot of cool ways you can utilize app bubbles. Have a lot of messaging apps you frequently use throughout the day? Turn each one into a bubble so they’re all easily within reach. If you frequently check your calendar app or play podcasts throughout the day, bubbling those apps can be great, too. Every app on your phone can be turned into a bubble, and although Google still has a couple of kinks to iron out, app bubbles are already a phenomenal part of Android 17.
Redesigned screen recording UI
... continue reading