Best new features of Android 17

Google recently launched a new version of Android. It may take a while to install, so you might as well adjust what it offers while you wait.

Android 17 was officially launched earlier this month, so if you have a Pixel or Samsung phone, you can start downloading. It brings a few new features to play with, so without wasting time, let’s dive in. Here are some of the top Android 17 features you can expect as you watch the installation progress on your phone screen.

Bubbles give you the power to do more and do better

Few of these updates are intended for or better used on foldable devices or other “large screen devices,” as Google calls them. The first of these is Bubbles, a simple way to multitask on your mobile device.

All you have to do is long press the app icon to turn it into a floating window that you can rotate and resize as needed. It can live on top of another open application, so if you want to live stream a World Cup match in one window and react to it with your family in a group chat at the same time, you can do that. It feels intuitive and useful, which is what we want to see in any free software updates.

Best games for foldable devices

That looks useful.
Credit: Google

Speaking of folders, Google has also improved the experience of playing on these devices with Android 17. If you have something like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can direct it to landscape mode and use a new structure where the game is shown in the upper part of the screen, while the visual controller is less than half. Most mobile games overlay physical controls over gameplay, but this will allow you to play without all those things getting in the way. Another folder win.

Record screen reactions to your social feed

Everyone has to react to everything all the time.
Credit: Screenshot: Google

We live in a world where everything needs a social media response. These days, that usually takes the form of someone talking to their selfie camera in front of a picture of whatever they’re reacting to. With Android 17, you can do that easily. Google says it only takes “a few taps” to overlay a photo or viral clip, where you can get the word out. That engagement won’t do itself, folks, but Android 17 is pretty close to doing it all for you.

Advanced parental controls

Parental controls aren’t “fun” in the dictionary definition of the word, but they are nice and important. With Android 17, Google has added new safety features that are much needed for kids. They launched on Pixel devices late last year, but are now available on everything running Android.

With these features, you can do things like filter Google Play downloads, set a time for the device to turn off every night, and set screen time limits for kids. None of this changes, but they do there is it’s important to make sure your child doesn’t develop a debilitating screen addiction.

Turn off your lost phone

This can save a lot of headaches for people.
Credit: Google

Finally, we have another feature that may not be “fun” in the general sense, but it will save a lot of money and prevent a lot of stress for Android device owners.

Mark as lost is a new feature that will allow you to remotely lock a missing phone using Find Hub. Even if a hacker hacking your device has your PIN, they won’t be able to unlock the phone without your biometrics. You may not be able to return the phone, but they won’t be able to do anything with it, either.