Sophie Blake
Android 17 has moved into its second beta phase, adding a slate of privacy-focused controls, system-level APIs and cross-device capabilities ahead of its planned platform stability milestone in March.
The update continues Google’s adjusted release cadence, with a major SDK release targeted for the second quarter and a smaller SDK update later in the year. Developers will be able to finalize integrations once the platform reaches stability and the SDK/NDK APIs are locked.
Beta 2 introduces a system-level “Bubbles” windowing mode that allows users to launch floating app instances from the home screen on phones, tablets and foldables. On large screens, a bubble bar integrated into the taskbar enables users to manage and reposition active bubbles, expanding Android’s multi-window behavior beyond messaging apps.
A new EyeDropper API allows apps to retrieve a color value from any pixel displayed on screen without requiring full screen-capture permissions. The API is designed to reduce privacy exposure by limiting access strictly to a selected color value rather than the entire frame buffer.
Android 17 also adds a privacy-preserving Contacts Picker. Instead of requiring broad READ_CONTACTS permissions, apps can request temporary, session-based access to specific data fields selected by the user. The picker supports both personal and work profiles and can limit the number of contacts returned.
Touchpad handling has been refined as well. When pointer capture is enabled, touchpads now report relative movement and scroll gestures similarly to a mouse by default, addressing compatibility issues in certain applications such as games. Developers can still opt into legacy absolute-coordinate reporting.
A new Handoff API enables app state transfer between nearby Android devices. When users opt in, the system synchronizes application context via CompanionDeviceManager and surfaces a continuation prompt on a secondary device. The feature supports both app-to-app transitions and web fallbacks if the receiving device does not have the native app installed.
Android 17 also expands support for advanced ranging technologies. Ultra-Wideband DL-TDOA support enables indoor positioning aligned with FiRa 4.0 specifications, while a new proximity detection capability based on Wi-Fi Alliance standards aims to improve accuracy compared to existing Wi-Fi Aware-based ranging.
Streaming apps gain access to carrier-provided maximum uplink and downlink bandwidth values, allowing dynamic optimization of media quality based on network conditions.
A new runtime permission, ACCESS_LOCAL_NETWORK, is being introduced to regulate local area network communication. Apps targeting Android 17 must explicitly declare this permission to discover or connect to LAN devices, unless they rely on system-mediated device pickers that bypass direct network access. The change is intended to curb covert device fingerprinting and tracking on local networks.
Android 17 further expands SMS one-time password protections. Messages containing OTP codes will be inaccessible to most third-party apps for three hours unless the app is the verified recipient or uses approved APIs such as SMS Retriever or SMS User Consent. The update applies to WebOTP-formatted messages and standard OTP texts, with certain exemptions for default messaging and assistant apps.
In addition, the platform introduces a new broadcast intent for time zone offset changes, improving reliability during events such as daylight saving transitions.
Applications requiring direct access to a device’s neural processing unit must now declare FEATURE_NEURAL_PROCESSING_UNIT in their manifest when targeting API level 37. The requirement covers apps using vendor SDKs, LiteRT delegates or legacy NNAPI pathways.
Core internationalization libraries have been upgraded to ICU 78 and Unicode 17, expanding support for additional scripts, emoji blocks and direct time object formatting.
Google expects Android 17 to reach platform stability in March, at which point final APIs will be delivered. Developers will then be able to target SDK level 37 and publish compatible builds to Google Play ahead of general availability.
The company plans quarterly updates following launch, with app-breaking behavioral changes limited to the major Q2 release. A smaller SDK update is scheduled for the fourth quarter.
Supported Pixel devices can receive Beta 2 over the air, while developers without compatible hardware can test using 64-bit system images in the Android Emulator via Android Studio.
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