The Beta That (Almost) Wasn't

Welcome to episode 88 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Ben Schoon joins Damien and Will to talk through the announcement — and subsequent unannouncement — of Android 17. The group talks through how and why this launch fell apart before discussing exactly what expectations we all should have for Android updates in 2026. Then they turn to Samsung, which just confirmed an Unpacked announcement for late February for a series of phones that has us scratching our heads when it comes to big year-over-year improvements.

This episode was recorded prior to Android 17's eventual release on Friday afternoon.

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• 00:00 – Intro
• 01:05 - Android 17 Beta 1 delay
• 14:14 - What we hope for in Android updates
• 22:52 - Galaxy Unpacked announcement and the S26 trio
• 46:13 - Wrap-up

• Ben Schoon
• Damien Wilde
• Will Sattelberg

• Google cancels today’s Android 17 Beta 1 release
• Samsung confirms Galaxy S26 launch on February 25, up to $900 off with reservation
• Galaxy A17 trades performance for Android updates, and I don’t think it’s worth it

• 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!