Pixel phones are the closest thing to iPhones in the Android realm. They're made by the same company that designs the operating system, and they run a relatively clean version of Android, as envisioned by Google. Like iPhones, Pixel phones are the first to receive software updates, as Google controls the OS rollout. While Google has been refining the Android experience and appearance for its Pixel phones over the years, Pixel phones still get some criticism from longtime users, including a complaint about the home screen experience.
The purpose of this release is to allow app developers and early adopters to create "even better software experiences". The installation requires flashing a ROM, and if you don't have experience in software development or you expect to use the device as a daily driver, it's not recommended to proceed.
The first, which aims to reduce risks associated with unencrypted traffic, is related to the usesCleartextTraffic attribute. On apps targeting Android 17, if the attribute is set to 'true' but lacks a corresponding network security configuration, cleartext traffic will be blocked by default. Developers are advised to migrate to network security configuration files for more granular control.
Google recently began rolling out the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2.1 update to eligible Pixel devices. At the same time, the company has confirmed that the first Android 17 beta is coming soon. In a Reddit post, Google revealed that the Android 17 Beta 1 will roll out to users soon with bug fixes and include improved performance and system stability.
It's that time of year when Android users (and pundits) start wondering what's in the next release. Well, the good news is that Google has already announced some of the features, which are carry-overs from Android 16 QPR1 and Android 16 QPR2. This approach means that these features are in quarterly drops, often targeted at Pixel users, and may eventually reach other devices.
It's that time of year when Android users (and pundits) start wondering what's in the next release. Well, the good news is that Google has already announced some of the features, which are carry-overs from Android 16 QPR1 and Android 16 QPR2. This approach means that these features are in quarterly drops, often targeted at Pixel users, and may eventually reach other devices.
