Android 17 Beta released.... then withdrawn

I was planning to write a post about the announcement that Google Pixel owners who had opted into the Android Beta Program being able to download the latest Android 17 Beta over the next few days. However Google had other plans. 

So yesterday at 10am PT Google were due to release the Android 17 beta 1 to selected Pixel devices  (see below). This was largely publicised by many tech blogs that had been given the time and date of the release via embargoed information from Google. However the problem is there were no download links and the OTA update never appeared. 

It seems that the launch time and date that had been released but then Google decided to pull the plug on the release at the last minute. The tech community is still awaiting to here for further comment from Google regardign what is going to happen. We expect that the Android 17 Beta 1 release will be launched in the next few days though.

Here are the key improvement that and changes that Android 17 is purported to bring.

The Android 17 Beta 1 is coming soon, and it’s focusing on making the ecosystem feel more "grown-up"—especially for tablets and foldables. Here are the highlights:

• Mandatory Adaptability: Developers can no longer opt out of resizable windows. If you're on a foldable or tablet, apps will finally behave properly in multitasking and landscape modes.

• Pro-Grade Camera Tools: Expect smoother lens switching with zero lag and access to metadata from all physical sensors. Basically, third-party camera apps are about to get much more powerful.

• Efficient Video & Audio: With support for the VVC (H.266) codec, you’ll get higher video quality at smaller file sizes, plus "loudness normalization" to stop volume jumps between apps.

• Smarter Connections: New profiles for medical and fitness devices make pairing faster, while Wi-Fi Ranging improvements offer more precise proximity detection.

• XR Ready: New engagement modes are being baked in to help apps respond intelligently to XR (Extended Reality) hardware.

Android 17 Beta 1 will be  available for a wide range of Google Pixel devices. The full list of eligible devices includes:

Owners of these devices can enroll in the Android Beta Program to get the Android 17 Beta 1 OTA update. Devices that are already enrolled will receive the update automatically.

So if you do have a Pixel device and you are on Andordis bleeding edge then rest assured that you will get the Android 17 beta 1 update in the next few days. However if you are like the vast majority of users who are on other devices then no need to worry as we are still several months away from Android 17 arriving on your devices.