The next version of Android is now rolling out to compatible Google Pixel smartphones following months of an opt-in-only beta program. Android 17 features a wealth of new security, digital wellbeing, and creator-focused features, including improved interaction with third-party camera apps, increased compatibility with Gemini's new capabilities, and interface tweaks that make multitasking on Android a little more "bubbly.” The update coincides with the rollout of Wear OS 7 for Pixel smartwatches , which adds Live Updates tracking, easier control of smart home devices from your wrist, and improved battery life. Both Android 17 and Wear OS 7 will get their promised Gemini Intelligence updates later this summer and throughout the rest of the year. You May Also Like On an Android device that's not a Google Pixel? Smartphones and smartwatches running Android and Wear OS that aren't in Google's pipeline are at the mercy of their manufacturers. Samsung is usually the next one to follow suit with updates to its ecosystem, though you'll see it appear as One UI 9. Other brands, such as Motorola, OnePlus, and Nothing, will roll out updates to eligible devices progressively throughout the rest of the year. I've been toying with the Android 17 beta since its release in February . The visual changes are relatively minute. It's the largest capabilities—like the ability to turn any app into a floating window—that set the stage for where Android is headed. For those who are getting the software update rolling out this week, here's a rundown of what to expect. What to Expect with Android 17 Earlier this year, during the first Android 17 beta rollout, Google introduced several under-the-hood improvements that helped lay the groundwork for what’s rolling out today. They include a general overhaul of the Android Runtime (ART), which improves Android's memory management by more effectively tossing out the proverbial garbage. Android 17 unlocks Dynamic Camera Sessio
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