Android 17, Now With Even More Bubbles

Welcome to episode 91 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, with Abner and Damien out at MWC, Will invites Andrew Romero to join him on a whirlwind tour of two new OS upgrades from Google: Android 16 QPR3, and Android 17 Beta 2. The two discuss AI-generated wallpapers, that new Now Playing app, and Android's new bubbles — not to be confused with its own bubbles — while Andrew introduces his SPI: Sandwich Price Index.

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• 00:00 - Intro and Android 16 QPR3
• 03:53 - AI-generated icons
• 13:15 - Now Playing app and flashlight toggle
• 22:05 - Pixel Desktop experience, At a Glance, and Gemini Automation
• 34:18 - Pixel Watch Drop, briefly
• 36:09 - Android 17 Beta 2 and Bubbles
• 43:32 - Beta 2 grab bag
• 50:52 - Wrap-up

• Will Sattelberg
• Andrew Romero

• Android 16 QPR3 rolling out with March 2026 security update
• March 2026 Feature Drop: Pixel 10 ‘Comfort’ view, custom AI icons, At a Glance ‘My commute,’ & more 
• Pixel Watch Feature Drop: Express Pay, phone reminders, and more 
• Pixel homescreens are getting custom icons, but Google’s keeping them locked to AI

• The Sideload
• 9to5Mac Happy Hour
• Electrek
• Space Explored

Drop us a line at gtips@9to5g.com, leave a comment on the post, or reach out to our producer. And for even more Android discussion, dive into the official 9to5Google forums!