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Code found in the Android 17 QPR3 Beta 2 release indicates Google is developing numeric unread-count badges for app icons in Pixel Launcher. The feature would show the actual number of pending notifications rather than just a dot, a function already common on other Android skins like Samsung's One UI.
Google's latest Android 17 beta lets users require authentication before changing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data, or Airplane Mode from the lock screen. Previously these toggles could be altered by anyone with physical access to a locked device, without entering a passcode.
Samsung has confirmed that several Galaxy Tab lines are receiving their last major OS upgrades. The Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra, S9 FE and S9 FE+ will get One UI 9 (Android 17) as their final update, with security patches continuing to around 2028. The Tab S8 series and the budget Tab A9 line have already received their final OS upgrade, One UI 8 (Android 16), with security support ending in 2027 for the S8 models and about a year from now for the A9 series.
Sony has told UK customers it will not deliver the Android 17 upgrade it had promised for the Xperia 10 VI when the midrange phone launched over two years ago. The company cited a technical assessment that found the device's storage configuration couldn't support an adequate Android 17 experience. Sony says it will still provide security updates through June 2028 and that other Xperia models' update plans are unaffected.
Samsung has begun rolling out Android 17-based One UI 9 to newer devices like the Galaxy Fold 8 and Flip 8, while older models approach the end of their update lifespans. Support duration varies widely across Samsung's lineup, with budget A-series phones generally receiving fewer years of meaningful software updates than flagship models.
LineageOS has launched version 24.0, rebased on Android 17's codebase, which the team says it completed faster than expected due to prior adaptation work. The release also folds in security patches spanning August 2025 through October 2026 across branches from LineageOS 18.1 to 24.0, with legacy branches 15.1, 16.0 and 17.1 updated through November 2025.
Samsung's One UI 9 update, introduced alongside its August foldable launches, is now widely rolling out to recent Galaxy flagship devices. The update is the first version of Samsung's interface built on Android 17 and includes several new features, including AI tools and a contextual-information feature called Now Nudge.
Samsung has pushed the stable, Android 17-based One UI 9 update to the Galaxy Quantum 7 in South Korea, the local variant of the Galaxy A57 5G, making it the first A-series phone to receive the finished build. The firmware carries the September 2026 security patch and arrives alongside One UI 9's rollout to the Galaxy S24 lineup and 2024 foldables. The US version of the Galaxy A57 5G has not yet received the update.
Google has confirmed that its newly released Googlebook laptops do not yet support cross-device 'Better Together' features with Samsung phones, even those running Android 17. Google's Mishaal Rahman said on Reddit that support for Samsung devices will roll out over the coming weeks, after users reported the feature failing to work and at least one buyer returning their device.
Google has confirmed that the 'Better Together' integration features on its new Googlebook laptops, which allow app streaming, file access, and notification mirroring with Android phones, currently only function properly with Pixel devices. Samsung phones running Android 17, including the Z Fold 8, can detect the laptops but fail to maintain a stable connection, despite Google's marketing claiming the laptops work with Android phones 'right out of the box'. Google says a software update enabling Samsung compatibility will arrive in the coming weeks.
Code found in the Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 release references a 'Face Active Illumination' system, including settings for brightness scale and toggles governing when it can activate, such as during bedtime, driving, dark environments, or Do Not Disturb mode. The code does not specify what hardware would provide the illumination, though it appears aimed at improving face unlock performance when lighting is poor.
Samsung has started deploying the stable version of One UI 9, based on Android 17, to the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in South Korea. The update for Galaxy S24 beta users is approximately 500MB, while non-beta users will receive a 3.8GB download, which includes the full Android 17 upgrade. The rollout is expected to expand to other markets such as the US and Europe soon.