All articles tagged with #android os
Google's Android 17 expands per-app memory limits to more devices over the coming year, throttling or terminating memory-hungry apps to keep phones fast and responsive; the rollout starts on Pixel devices and will extend to devices with 4GB to over 16GB RAM, with new developer tools to help apps stay within limits.
A fresh One UI 9.5 leak shows subtle depth enhancements like drop shadows and frosted elements across the UI and a redesigned Phone app with integrated Samsung AI-powered search, potentially resembling a system Finder; Samsung hasn't announced One UI 9.5 and features may change before beta or release, with the Galaxy S26 line likely to lead the rollout.
Pixel users report a new touchscreen bug after Android 17 rollout, with screens becoming unresponsive in fullscreen apps or while gaming; Google has not acknowledged the bug or issued a fix, and the root cause remains unknown.
Google is testing a Gemini-powered AI setup assistant for Android that offers account-tailored recommendations, prompts based on screen content, and an 'Ask Gemini' input for on-device help, with instant setting updates and app suggestions; the feature was uncovered in a Play Services APK teardown and isn’t live yet.
Android Canary 2607 reveals Google is prototyping a new Status bar settings section that would let users show or hide the Android Halo AI icon and the mute indicator, with Halo tied to an unreleased Agent Task feature. A separate toggle to hide the mute icon is also in development. The changes aren’t live yet, and APK teardowns predict features that may or may not reach a public release.
Google's Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 is out, reaching Platform Stability with build CP31.260618.005. The update locks the API surface and brings fixes (spell-checker language selection, Clock UI actions, smoother media carousel, WindowManagerGlobal crash fix, and hotspot name fix) plus UI tweaks like a redesigned home-screen context menu, Health Connect metrics expansion, and adjusted desktop windowing with moved taskbar icons and floating PiP windows; available for Pixel 6–10 series and Pixel Tablet devices.
Google is rolling out a system-level Signature app for Android that stores multiple signatures (scribble, initials with fonts, or uploaded photos) and lets apps fetch them as needed, with a Manage Signatures hub to organize assets; the feature ships with the June 2026 Google Play system update and supports Android 12+ (API 31+), though Google hasn’t announced developer-use plans yet.
Android Authority’s readers named the new Bubbles multitasking feature in Android 17 as the top favorite, with praise for opening multiple apps in collapsible bubbles and other popular picks like improved dark mode controls and a cleaner home screen layout.
Android 17 rollout is causing significant touchscreen issues on Pixel devices (Pixel 10, 9, 8, and 7 series), including taps being ignored, dead zones, and reversed scrolling. Google is aware of the problem, but the initial fix isn’t effective for everyone; reported workarounds like clearing the Pixel Launcher cache have mixed results, and some users see improvement by toggling Smooth Display. There’s no firm timeline for a permanent patch, so potential upgraders may want to wait for official fixes.
Android Central argues Android could benefit by copying five iOS 27 features: granular Time Allowances for parental controls; a native automation app akin to Shortcuts; Siri Mode integrated into the Camera app for on‑device actions; Spatial Reframing to alter a photo's perspective after capture; and Image Playground with Private Cloud Compute for advanced AI image generation—urging Google to upgrade parental controls, unify AI features, and deliver system‑level automation to rival Apple's ecosystem.
Google’s June Android Drop focuses on safety: it adds Fake Call Detection in the Phone app to verify calls from known contacts and flag spoofed numbers, expands Personal Safety features for kids 13 and under (lock-screen medical info and emergency contacts, as well as real-time location sharing and Safety Check), and broadens Quick Share/AirDrop-style file sharing to more Android devices and cross‑device transfers to iOS without the internet.
Android 17's QPR1 beta 3 introduces a toggle to hide Gboard's globe icon even when multiple languages are enabled, while still allowing language switching via long-pressing the space bar; Google is also redesigning the keyboard switcher UI, but it's unclear if these changes will reach the stable release, and some third-party keyboards (like SwiftKey) may not support the space-bar switch feature.
Android Authority reports that Samsung’s One UI 8.5 update is triggering dark‑mode glitches in Google apps across Galaxy devices (including S25/S24), showing a mix of black, gray, and light-gray UI. The root cause appears to be a clash between Google’s Material You styling and Samsung’s updated color palette. Workarounds include using a forked Shizuku to revert colors or tweaking the Color Palette/Wallpaper settings, with a potential fix expected in a future update. Samsung has not issued an official statement yet; users can report the issue via the Members app.
Qualcomm confirms its Snapdragon X laptop chip will power Google's new Googlebook, marking the first non-Windows device for the line. The Googlebook runs an Android-based Aluminium OS with Gemini features and on-device AI via the NPU, and will be offered by OEMs including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo with Intel and MediaTek options and possible x86 support. Exact chip variant, pricing and ship date are not yet announced beyond a fall 2026 launch window; more details are expected at Google I/O.
Google released Android 17 QPR1 Beta 1 for Pixel devices, signaling platform stability and a future focus on bug fixes rather than base-feature changes. The CP31.260403.005.A1 build is rolling out to Pixel 6–Pixel 10 devices enrolled in the Android Beta Program and includes fixes for a Default Print Service crash under low ink, Terminal app ANR, and VoIP audio distortion. OTA rollout has begun and factory images are available; the stable Android 17 is expected mid-2026, with additional QPR1 improvements arriving later in the year.