Android 17 Beta Arrives With Mandatory Large-Screen Support and Camera Overhauls

Quick Brief

• Android 17 Beta 1 removes developer opt-out for large-screen adaptivity on devices over 600dp
• New Canary program replaces traditional Developer Previews with continuous OTA updates
• Camera API now supports dynamic session updates without closing active capture sessions
• Available for Pixel 6 through Pixel 10 Pro Fold via Android Beta Program enrollment

Google released Android 17 Beta 1 on February 13, 2026, marking a fundamental shift in how developers access early Android builds. This release eliminates the traditional Developer Preview model in favor of an always-on Canary channel that delivers features as soon as they pass internal testing. The Beta introduces API level 37 with mandatory large-screen support, advanced camera controls, and performance optimizations that affect how apps function on tablets, foldables, and desktop environments.

The End of Large-Screen Opt-Outs

Android 17 forces apps targeting API 37 to embrace full-screen experiences on devices exceeding 600dp screen width. Developers can no longer restrict orientation or set aspect ratio limits through manifest attributes like screenOrientation, resizeableActivity, minAspectRatio, or maxAspectRatio on large screens. Google exempts traditional phones under 600dp and apps categorized as games using the android:appCategory flag.

Users retain control through system aspect ratio settings, allowing them to override an app’s default behavior. This change addresses user expectations for seamless multitasking across tablets, foldables, and desktop windowing environments where apps must fill available space and respect device posture.

Also Read Sony DMPC Japan: Inside Tokyo’s Virtual Production Facility Reshaping Global Filmmaking

Canary Program Replaces Developer Previews

The Android Canary channel delivers three critical advantages over quarterly Developer Previews. Features land in Canary immediately after passing internal testing rather than waiting months for scheduled releases. Early battle-testing produces more stable Beta builds with finalized APIs and behavior changes. The Canary channel supports OTA updates without manual flashing and integrates directly into CI workflows, giving developers the earliest feedback window.

Android 17 follows the 26Q2 release schedule as the major SDK release in 2026, with 26Q3 and 26Q4 delivering minor updates through QPR1 and QPR2, culminating in 27Q1 for QPR3.

Camera API Gains Dynamic Session Control

What is CameraCaptureSession dynamic updating?

Android 17 introduces updateOutputConfigurations() in CameraCaptureSession, allowing developers to switch capture modes from photo to video without closing the active session. This eliminates glitches and delays when changing use cases mid-capture.

The API also exposes logical multi-camera metadata through a  new LOGICAL_MULTI_CAMERA_ADDITIONAL_RESULTS key in CaptureRequest. Setting this key to ON returns metadata from all active physical cameras not just the primary sensor via TotalCaptureResult.getPhysicalCameraTotalResults(). This removes workarounds where developers allocated unnecessary physical streams to access secondary camera data during zoom transitions.

Performance Upgrades Target Frame Drops and Memory

Android 17 implements a lock-free android.os.MessageQueue that reduces missed frames and improves UI responsiveness. The new implementation breaks apps that use reflection to access MessageQueue private fields.

Generational garbage collection arrives in ART’s Concurrent Mark-Compact collector, prioritizing frequent low-cost “young generation” collections over full-heap sweeps. This optimization reduces CPU cost and collection duration, with benefits extending to over one billion devices running Android 12 and higher through Google Play System updates.

Apps targeting API 37 lose the ability to modify static final fields via reflection or JNI. Reflection attempts trigger IllegalAccessException, while JNI’s SetStatic<Type>Field methods crash the application immediately.

Media Capabilities Expand With VVC and Quality Controls

Android 17 adds platform support for Versatile Video Coding (VVC/H.266), defining the video/vvc MIME type in MediaFormat and integrating new VVC profiles into MediaCodecInfo. This feature requires devices with hardware decode support and compatible drivers.

The setVideoEncodingQuality() method in MediaRecorder enables constant quality (CQ) mode for video encoders, giving developers granular control beyond simple bitrate settings. Background audio restrictions now enforce valid lifecycle states for audio playback, focus requests, and volume changes failing silently without exceptions when apps lack proper context.

Security and Connectivity Enhancements

The android:usesCleartextTraffic attribute is deprecated in API 37. Apps targeting Android 17 that rely on usesCleartextTraffic="true" without a Network Security Configuration will default to blocking cleartext traffic. Google recommends migrating to Network Security Configuration files for granular control.

Android 17 introduces a public Service Provider Interface (SPI) for HPKE hybrid cryptography, enabling secure communication through combined public key and symmetric AEAD encryption.

Wi-Fi Ranging gains Proximity Detection capabilities with continuous ranging and secure peer-to-peer discovery. Wi-Fi Aware ranging updates include new APIs for peer handles and PMKID caching for 11az secure ranging.

New CompanionDeviceManager Profiles

Two device profiles simplify permission handling in CompanionDeviceManager. The Medical Devices profile lets healthcare apps request all necessary permissions with a single tap. The DEVICE_PROFILE_FITNESS_TRACKER profile allows companion apps to explicitly identify fitness tracker management, displaying distinct icons while reusing existing watch role permissions.

The unified association dialog bundles nearby permission requests with device pairing through the setExtraPermissions method in AssociationRequest.Builder, reducing the number of prompts users encounter.

How to Install Android 17 Beta

Android 17 Beta 1 system images are available for the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Enroll at google.com/android/beta by opting in with your Google account. OTA updates typically arrive within minutes to an hour after enrollment.

Developers can sideload Beta 1 using OTA files from Google’s official download page. Build numbers are CP21.260116.011.B1 and CP21.260116.011.A1 for older Pixel devices. Google recommends using Android Studio Panda for the best Android 17 development experience, including compiling against the new SDK and testing compatibility in CI environments.

Users currently on Android 26Q1 Beta should ignore the 26Q2 Beta 1 OTA update if they want to receive the final stable 26Q1 release before exiting the Beta program.

Additional Developer Improvements

Android 17 updates Activity recreation behavior for specific configuration changes. The system no longer restarts activities by default for CONFIG_KEYBOARD, CONFIG_KEYBOARD_HIDDEN, CONFIG_NAVIGATION, CONFIG_UI_MODE, CONFIG_TOUCHSCREEN, and CONFIG_COLOR_MODE changes. Running activities receive these updates via onConfigurationChanged instead. Apps requiring full restarts must opt in using the new android:recreateOnConfigChanges manifest attribute.

ProfilingManager adds three system triggers for performance debugging: TRIGGER_TYPE_COLD_START, TRIGGER_TYPE_OOM, and TRIGGER_TYPE_KILL_EXCESSIVE_CPU_USAGE. Custom notification view size limits now close loopholes allowing apps to bypass restrictions using URIs, gated by target SDK version for API 37 and higher.

VoIP call history integration introduces user preference management with caller and participant avatar URI support in the system dialer, enabling granular control over call log privacy.

Also Read Sarvam Akshar: The AI Workbench Solving India’s 200-Year Document Challenge

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)