Google releases Android 17 and Wear OS 7 with new multitasking and Gemini updates

In short: Google has released Android 17 and Wear OS 7, along with a Pixel Drop that adds new phone and watch features, including more Gemini AI tools.

What happened

Google released the final version of Android 17, the software that runs many Android phones, and Wear OS 7, the version for smartwatches. The update arrives first on Google’s Pixel phones and Pixel Watch.

Google also shipped a “Pixel Drop,” which is a bundle of new features that lands outside the main annual update. One change is that Android Quick Share, Google’s tool for sending files to nearby devices, will work with Apple’s AirDrop on older Pixel 8a and 9a phones.

Several updates focus on Gemini, Google’s AI assistant. Gemini Omni will let people edit videos inside a chat, and Lyria 3 can generate music from a text prompt or an image, inside the Gemini app. Pixel 10a phones will also get improved speech translation with AudioLM, which is a system that works with spoken audio.

Android 17 also adds new everyday features. A new “bubble bar” shows recently used apps as bubbles you can move and tap quickly (like keeping your most used tools on a small tray). There is also a built-in option to record both your screen and your selfie camera at the same time, for reaction videos.

On safety and control, Android 17 improves parental settings and security tools, including a “Mark as Lost” option in Find Hub. On the Pixel Watch, new emergency detection features can contact emergency services if it detects a car crash, a hard fall, or a lack of pulse.

Why it matters

For most people, these updates are about saving time and adding peace of mind. You may be able to switch between apps faster, share files with more people, and get new safety features on your watch, without buying a new device.

Source: TechCrunch AI