Shortly afterwards, Google acquired the company in July of that year for at least $50 million; this was Google’s « best deal ever » according to Google’s then-vice president of corporate development, David Lawee, in 2010. Android is an operating system owned by Google which is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other free and open-source software, designed primarily for touchscreen-based mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

Key Changes for SDK 37

• With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, we also managed to activate its Settings menu entry.
• As of Android 11, Android has required apps to conform to a data privacy policy known as scoped storage, under which apps may only automatically have access to certain directories (such as those for pictures, music, and video), and app-specific directories they have created themselves.
• Starting with the touchpad, the three-finger tap gesture introduced in QPR1 is now more customizable.
• There may be no toggle or setting to switch back to the classic combined notification and Quick Settings panel.
• All-New Samsung announced that a revamped Health app is on the way to users, highlighting a host of new features.

One of those components, Google Play Services, is a closed-source system-level process providing APIs for Google services, installed automatically on nearly all devices running Android 2.2 « Froyo » and higher. The Guardian complained that the method of distribution for updates is complicated only because manufacturers and carriers have designed it that way. Each upgrade has had to be specifically tailored, a time- and resource-consuming process. Android is developed by Google until the latest changes and updates are ready to be released, at which point the source code is made available to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), an open source initiative led by Google. Chinese companies are building a PC and mobile operating system, spinalto casino based on Android, to « compete directly with Microsoft Windows and Google Android ». Android used to require an autofocus camera, which was relaxed to a fixed-focus camera if present at all, since the camera was dropped as a requirement entirely when Android started to be used on set-top boxes.

Desktop Mode and related changes

You can access this comprehensive metadata using TotalCaptureResult.getPhysicalCameraTotalResults() to get more detailed information that may enable you to optimize resource usage in your camera applications. By setting this key to ON in your CaptureRequest, the TotalCaptureResult will include metadata from these additional active physical cameras. Previously, you had to implement workarounds, sometimes allocating unnecessary physical streams, to obtain metadata from secondary active cameras (e.g., during a lens switch for zoom where a follower camera is active).
When working with logical cameras that combine multiple physical camera sensors, you can now request additional metadata from all active physical cameras involved in a capture, not just the primary one. Today we’re releasing the first beta of Android 17, continuing our work to build a platform that prioritizes privacy, security, and refined performance. These are all the changes we expect to see in the Android 17 platform update in 2026. Magic Cue had the name in a prominent-looking chip at the bottom of the screen, which users could tap to send. In a Google for Developers session at Google I/O 2026, the company announced that Magic Cue is expanding to more third-party apps, including Snapchat.

Requirements (Latest version)

• Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 introduced subtle background blur (as mentioned above) to specific parts of the Android UI, namely the notification shade, Quick Settings panel, and Recents screen.
• Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 cleans up the Sound & vibration submenu within the Settings app.
• This includes defining the video/vvc MIME type in MediaFormat, adding new VVC profiles in MediaCodecInfo, and integrating support into MediaExtractor.
• Fairphone, a company focused on sustainability, explained that its inability to extend software support was due to Qualcomm’s policies rather than its own.
• The description states that the feature will allow you to “receive a notification when your time zone is automatically updated.”
• This began to change in 2012, with the release of the affordable Nexus 7 and a push by Google for developers to write better tablet applications.
• This feature is similar to features that OEMs have added to such devices, allowing users to run apps at any window size and aspect ratio.

With Android 12, Google combined the two toggles into a singular Internet tile. Before Android 12, the OS had separate Quick Settings toggles for Wi-Fi and mobile data. Swiping down from the left side of the inner screen will open up notifications, while swiping down from the right will open Quick Settings. There may be no toggle or setting to switch back to the classic combined notification and Quick Settings panel. With Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, we also managed to activate its Settings menu entry. With this new gesture, you can double-tap on an empty spot of the lock screen to turn off your Pixel phone’s screen.
When you’re creating a home screen, your Pixel will offer to automatically populate it with apps and widgets of a certain type — frequently used, games, social media, and more. In fact, we also see the two options in the Aluminium OS build leak, further adding weight to the theory. In Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3, we managed to enable two new icons/buttons in the screenshot overlay.
Because of this limitation, apps that need this functionality end up baking in a separate mechanism (usually a button or similar entry point outside the Photo picker) to click a new photo. The Android Photo picker lacks a direct shortcut to launch the device’s camera. With Android 17 Beta 3, widget padding, text size, and layout attributes automatically scale based on the density difference between the app’s original context and the target display. This is useful for multitasking scenarios, such as a video conferencing app keeping video call controls accessible while the user navigates other apps. Android 17 Beta 3 introduces a separate Assistant volume slider, allowing you to change the Assistant’s volume independently from the media volume. You can choose to have notifications, ringtones, and alarms play on your connected hearing aid or on your device’s built-in speaker.

Versatile Video Coding (VVC) Support

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has denounced that the fact that developers will be required to pay a fee and provide government-issued identification will dishearten free and open-source communities, as several of them operate with limited or no funding, and that it further expands Google’s Play Store monopoly over alternative app stores. These changes bring Samsung and potentially some Qualcomm-powered devices closer to competing platforms, such as Apple, whose iPhones have received four to eight years of support. Shortly thereafter, Qualcomm followed suit, offering extending support timelines for OEM building phones with its chipsets, first to seven years in 2024, followed by eight years in 2025.

Storage

Users can tap the indicator to see exactly which apps have recently accessed their location and manage those permissions immediately through a “Recent app use” dialog. The expanded bubble bar shows only the five most recently opened bubbles, though the bubble overflow menu lists other previously opened bubbles. Once activated, the launcher adds a “bubble” button to the context menu that appears when you press and hold on any app on the home screen.

Storage

This feature is similar to features that OEMs have added to such devices, allowing users to run apps at any window size and aspect ratio. Screen magnification options in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2Screen magnification options in July Android Canary/QPR1 Beta 3 build You can now configure it to launch a specific app of your choosing, expanding on the previous options (middle click, launch Google, go home, go back, or view recent apps). Starting with the touchpad, the three-finger tap gesture introduced in QPR1 is now more customizable. Android 16 QPR2 delivers a variety of new features for touchpads and mice, including expanded gesture actions and robust accessibility options.
This will detect apps that hide or change their icons and then launch from the background or abuse accessibility permissions. This new profile is intended for companion apps to medical devices, granting permissions for posting notifications, managing Bluetooth connections, and sending alerts at precise times. Tapping the “recording saved” notification opens a new screen with a simple video player that includes a seekbar, a play/pause button, and a mute button. This presumably lets you record video from the front-facing camera while capturing your screen. This new toolbar also introduces new options, including a “show selfie camera” toggle.