Google Rolls Out Android 17 Beta 2 With Exciting New Features

Google has released Android 17 Beta 2 for Pixel devices. The update brings new features along with several bug fixes to improve the Android experience. This comes nearly two weeks after the company made its first beta available, suggesting it is moving quickly towards platform stability. Some of these features should be part of Samsung’s One UI 9 update.

Android 17 Beta 2 is now available for Pixel phones

Android 17 Beta 2 carries firmware version CP21.260206.011 and weighs about 510 MB. If you have already enrolled in the beta program (on a supported Pixel device), you will receive the update over-the-air. Some of the newly introduced features include Bubbles, Contact picker, and Cross-device app handoff.

Speaking of Bubbles, this feature lets apps open in floating windows, making it easy to manage tasks. To create an app bubble on your phone, foldable, or tablet, simply long-press an app icon on the launcher. On large screens, you will see a bubble bar in the taskbar that lets you organize, move between, and move bubbles effortlessly. Google says this is “a new floating UI experience separate from the messaging bubbles API.”

Now, coming to the system-level Contact picker, it allows apps to access temporary, session-based read access to only the specific data fields. This helps protect your privacy while offering more control over your personal data. Thanks to the Cross-device app handoff feature, you can start a task on one device and continue it on another without losing progress. For example, you could start editing a document on your phone and seamlessly continue it on a tablet.

Furthermore, Google has improved its SMS OTP protection. It will automatically delay app access to SMS messages containing OTPs. As such, your codes will remain safer from unauthorized use.

Meanwhile, Samsung is also testing One UI 9 (based on Android 17) on smartphones like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The company could start the beta program in mid-2026, with the stable version likely debuting alongside upcoming foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. We will let you know if any developments regarding One UI 9 emerge online.