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Google has published details on how it designed its new Noto 3D emoji set, first unveiled at I/O in May, and confirmed which manufacturers will bring it to their phones. Partners include Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, vivo, iQOO, HONOR, TECNO, Infinix, itel, and Motorola, alongside stock Android 17 devices like the Pixel 11. Samsung is notably absent, as it maintains its own emoji designs.
Google has released its September Pixel Drop update, bringing the Android 17 QPR1 build to the stable channel for supported Pixel devices. The update package includes several additional features alongside the core software upgrade.
Sony has begun pushing Android 17 to the Xperia 1 VIII, with the update also arriving for the Xperia 1 VII and Xperia 1 VI. The release adds a Desktop mode for connecting phones to external displays like a PC, along with new wallpaper and icon customization, a redesigned Quick settings panel, and upgraded screen recording that captures full-screen or single-app video with audio. The Xperia 1 VIII also gains the ability to save and name up to three custom looks in its AI Camera Assistant.
In a Reddit AMA, Nothing CEO Carl Pei addressed criticism over the Phone 2's software support and monetization practices. He confirmed the Phone 2 will stop receiving major Android updates after Android 16, saying its aging chipset and kernel can't support Android 17, but insisted the company met its original promise of three major OS updates. Pei also conceded that pre-installed apps and games on Nothing devices have gone too far and need rebalancing.
Nothing has revealed early plans for Nothing OS 5.1, a minor update that will let users remap the Essential Key found on some of its phones, currently tied to the Essential Space app. The company also confirmed it's beginning work on a larger Nothing OS 6.0 release planned for 2027, while Nothing OS 5.0 remains in beta on the Phone 3 ahead of a stable rollout expected in mid-October.
Google has released the first software update for the Pixel Watch 5, moving the firmware from CD5A.260611.008 to CP3A.260905.002 while keeping the device on Wear OS 7 based on Android 17. The rollout includes September security fixes, but the accompanying changelog largely restates Gemini and gesture features that already shipped at launch rather than introducing new capabilities.
GrapheneOS developers discovered that Google's Pixel 11 phones do include hardware support for Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) after examining code in the Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 release. This contradicts the project's earlier assessment, made just days prior, that the phones lacked MTE and its accompanying warning against purchasing them.
A detailed community guide explains how Xiaomi 15 Ultra owners can strip down HyperOS without rooting their device, disabling telemetry, diagnostics, and bundled extension services during setup. The author recommends locking the phone on the final Android 16 build and deliberately skipping the upcoming Android 17 update, citing concerns over added tracking and AI features.
Google briefly published a Play Store listing for an app called Look Up, tied to its upcoming Googlebook laptop platform, before removing all screenshots and details. Some testers managed to sideload the app on Pixel phones running Android 17 even after it was pulled from public listing. The tool lets users highlight text and instantly query it through Search, Maps, and Flights, plus a chatbot box for follow-up questions.
Samsung has widened its Android 17-based One UI 9 beta rollout beyond its latest flagships to include the older Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, plus the mid-range Galaxy A57, marking the first A-series device to get the test build. The update carries the August 5, 2026 security patch and is currently live in South Korea and India, with plans to expand to Germany, Poland, the UK and the US.
Google has released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 to supported Pixel devices, a smaller update than the previous beta but one that introduces meaningful refinements. The standout addition lets users control which notification and system icons appear in the status bar through a new settings menu, alongside a Voice Broadcast option added to Quick Settings.
Samsung has begun rolling out the first One UI 9 beta build, based on Android 17, to the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra. The update, confirmed live in the US, India, and South Korea via the Samsung Members app, weighs around 3.6GB and includes a security patch dated August 2026 along with new personalization and productivity features.