Android 17.1 beta is out and includes a nifty change to a feature on the Pixel Launcher
After a brief delay, Google releases the first Beta release of Android 17.
Following a short delay, Google released Android 17 Beta 1 today. On Pixel handsets, go to Settings > System > Software updates > System update > Check for update. Even if the screen at first says that your Pixel is up-to-date, go through the process anyway. That is exactly what happened to me with my Pixel 6 Pro and the update still appeared. The size of the files came to 755 MB for my Pixel device.
Google planned to release Android 17 Beta 1 on Wednesday, but without saying why, it decided to hold off dropping Android 17 Beta 1 until today.
Without the release of an Android 17 Developer Preview, Google cuts straight to the chase and drops Android 17 Beta 1
Since there is no longer a Developer Preview, Google jumped straight to Android 17 Beta 1. That's because there is now a continuous Canary channel that hosts new features and APIs once they pass internal testing. This saves on time since the new features and APIs no longer have to wait for a quarterly release. Debuting on Canary allows more features to be polished, Beta ready, and closer to the final stage.
Google releases Android 17 Beta 1 after a two-day delay. | Image by PhoneArena
Android 17 will no longer allow developers to opt out of certain restrictions related to the app's orientation. For example, apps that used to be locked into portrait mode resulting in the use of ugly looking black bars on the left or right side of the app must not support landscape mode and windows for multitasking. These restrictions are not required for games. With Android 17 Beta 1, users of a camera app will be able to switch seamlessly between lenses (such as changing from ultrawide to telephoto) without experiencing minor freezes or "viewfinder skip."
Google changes the look of the Pixel Launcher search bar in Android 17 Beta 1. | Image by PhoneArena
We also could see, in Android 17 Beta 1, a change in the way Android handles memory. By reducing the load on the CPU by as much as 10%, users might be able to consume less battery power while multitasking heavily.
Check out the new look Google Search bar in the Pixel Launcher
One new feature that you can see now, once you've installed the beta on your compatible Pixel, is the new look for the search bar on the Pixel Launcher. The new look is a little transparent and drops the ring around the pill shaped search tool that uses a vibrant color theme from your wallpaper. It is a slightly wider than the old Pixel Launcher search bar and includes shortcuts for AI Mode, voice search, and Google Lens.
The Pixel Launcher search bar being replaced by the one that arrives on Android 17 Beta 1 was first spotted in Android 16 QPR2. Interestingly, the new look for the Pixel Launcher search bar gets rid of the separate container for the AI Mode shortcut. Most recent changes being made to Google's apps involve adding containers instead of removing them.
The color of the "G" logo in the Pixel Launcher's search bar also gets a change in Android 17 Beta 1. Previously the "G" logo used the bright red, yellow, green, and blue colors typically seen on the "G" logo. With the update, the "G" is filled with a solid shade or slight gradient based on the color theme of your wallpaper. The idea is to allow the shortcut icons to stand out against a phone's wallpaper.
What to do if you want to opt out of the Beta program without wiping your device.
If you don't like the new look, there is still a chance that Google plans to tweak it some more in Android 17 Beta 2. As for me, I like the new Pixel Launcher search bar, especially compared to the different versions that Google has tested over the last couple of years. The next update for Android 17 Beta testers will take place next month, according to Google. The stable version of the next Android build, codenamed "Cinnamon Bun," is expected to be released in June.
If you want to exit the Beta program without being forced to wipe your device, you can head over to the Android Beta Program website and opt out of the Beta program. But if that is what you want to do, do not install Android 17 Beta 1. Instead, after opting out of the Beta Progam, wait for Google to release the stable version of Android 16 QPR3 and install it.
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