Alex Wong/Getty Images
Google ngo to adhd an other furniture of polish to its mobile OS continues pinch Android 17. With last year's update, nan institution focused connected upgrading its notification acquisition and adding a big-screen desktop mode. Android 17, not surprisingly, will thin into much integration pinch Google's Gemini (including nan nifty expertise to create app automations). But if you're not into AI, location are still a fewer notable additions, particularly erstwhile it comes to record sharing pinch iOS, 3D emojis and reigning successful addictive apps.
Google amazed america each past twelvemonth erstwhile it added support for Apple's AirDrop successful Android's Quick Share feature connected Pixel phones, and we've heard charismatic connection that it's expanding that characteristic to much devices soon. Today connected nan Android Show livestream, up of Google I/O, Google revealed that nan characteristic will beryllium heading to Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo Xiaomi and Honor phones "this year," pinch perchance much partners arsenic well.
While you wait, nan institution is adding nan expertise to make QR codes connected immoderate Android telephone coming to fto you quickly stock files pinch iOS users complete nan cloud.Google besides says Quick Share is headed to celebrated apps for illustration Whatsapp "soon." It's unclear why that characteristic isn't broadly accessible to each app connected Android, without further developer work, akin to iOS's ubiquitous sharing options.
And speaking of iOS, Google besides says it's worked together pinch Apple to make it easier for group to move from iOS to Android devices. I've reached retired to Apple for confirmation connected that collaboration (it's peculiarly astonishing aft Google added AirDrop support without Apple's help, which surely caused a spot of consternation successful Cupertino).
As for those 3D emojis, they're precisely what they sound like: Sightly much realistic three-dimensional emoji. You tin decidedly telephone this advancement for Google, arsenic nan past clip we've seen immoderate awesome emoji improvement was almost a decade agone successful Android Oreo O, erstwhile nan institution moved distant from undefined amorphous blobs, towards a flatter and much unique design. Hopefully this upgrade is simply a presage of much creation changes coming to Android 17.

A perchance much useful caller characteristic successful Android 17 is Pause Point, a 10-second hold that appears erstwhile you unfastened distracting apps, giving you a chance to rethink your life choices earlier doomscrolling connected TikTok for an hour. During that window, you tin group a timer for nan destructive app you want to use, do a speedy breathing workout aliases hop to a healthier app action for illustration Fitbit.
Google pitches Pause Point arsenic a much applicable measurement to extremity distracted browsing than a full lockout, and it's harder to snooze than a emblematic app timer. As personification who's perfectly blameworthy of wasting excessively overmuch clip connected TikTok, Pause Point really sounds compelling. It's besides absorbing to spot that Google really added clash to move disconnected nan characteristic — doing truthful requires a afloat restart, which gives you moreover much clip to rethink your societal media browsing habits.
Ironically, Android 17 is besides making it easier to nutrient contented for societal media, while besides making it a spot much annoying to browse. Google's caller Screen reactions characteristic lets you quickly grounds an overlayed video connected apical of immoderate is connected your surface — cleanable for chatting astir nan latest news aliases gossip. Most societal media apps connection akin capabilities, but it's perchance much useful arsenic a halfway portion of Android, since group could besides usage it to stock commentary videos pinch friends and family, without broadcasting them to nan world. (Even much ironically, Android 17 besides features a slew of caller features for polishing your Instagram videos.)
