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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.
Google's latest Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 introduces a new way to manage the 'Install unknown apps' permission, letting users choose between permanently allowing an app to sideload APKs or requiring approval each time. This replaces the old all-or-nothing toggle that previously granted permanent installation rights until manually revoked through a buried settings menu.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4, released over the weekend, introduces a new Settings menu option letting users control which icons appear in the status bar. The feature can be accessed via Settings > Notifications or Settings > System, offering separate toggles for notification icons and system icons like mute, vibration, and battery percentage.
Google has pushed out Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 to Pixel testers, two weeks after Beta 3, as builds CP41.260814.003.A2 or CP41.260814.003.B1 depending on device. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro remain excluded from this release, while the newly launched Pixel 11 is also not yet covered under QPR2 testing.
Tipster Tarun Vats found a new internal test build ending in "ZZHK" on Samsung's servers, suggesting a seventh One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy S26 series may still be coming despite six betas already released. A separate internal build ending in "BZHI" was also spotted, which Vats speculates could instead be the first stable release candidate.
Multiple Pixel users are reporting on Reddit that apps like Google Photos, Spotify, and CapCut are randomly crashing or refusing to stay open, while music apps skip tracks. Reports span devices including the Pixel 9 and Pixel 11, suggesting the issue isn't limited to newer hardware. One user says joining Google's System Services beta and updating resolved the crashes on their device.
Apple has carried its beta-only Siri AI waitlist system into the release builds of iOS 27 and macOS 27, meaning users won't get instant access to the new Siri features once they update. Code found in Beta 7 shows Apple now sends a personalized, server-generated wait-time estimate after someone joins the queue, with a push notification once access is granted.
Apple has pushed out new public beta builds for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, tvOS 27, and HomePod 27, matching the seventh developer betas issued earlier the same day. The company also released a second public release candidate for macOS Sequoia 15.8, with a similar RC for macOS Tahoe 26.7 expected shortly.