Google rolls out Android 17 Beta 3—Here’s what’s new

Google has released Android 17 Beta 3, marking the “Platform Stability” phase of its development. Arriving about a month after the previous update, this version focuses on refinement, system consistency, and bug fixes as the operating system moves closer to its final release expected in 2026.

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According to updates, a notable change in Android 17 Beta 3 is the transition from the internal “Cinnamon Bun” codename to official Android 17 branding.

The update also brings more detailed dark mode controls, allowing users greater flexibility in managing appearance across individual apps. Alongside this, privacy settings and app permissions receive incremental improvements.

The main emphasis of Android 17 Beta 3 is stability. Google has addressed issues such as unexpected reboots, system freezing, and crashes.

Several interface problems have also been fixed, including disappearing status bar icons, lock screen unresponsiveness after using Android Auto, and delays in loading the Pixel Launcher.

Android 17 Beta 3 further improves camera performance, fixing issues related to telephoto lens behavior and transitions between camera lenses.

Connectivity has also been refined, with Bluetooth pairing delays reduced. Power management updates address the 80% charging limit and resolve cases where battery saver mode remained active longer than intended.

Additional fixes in Android 17 Beta 3 include improvements to notifications, resolving visual glitches on the lock screen and eliminating unexpected sounds from silent alerts. These changes aim to deliver a smoother and more consistent user experience across devices.

The update is available for a wide range of Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 through Pixel 9 series, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and newer models, indicating that Android 17 Beta 3 is nearing its final development stage.

In other news, Gemini for Android has introduced updates to the chat page, making sharing and the overflow menu more prominent.

Previously, the app’s top bar in Gemini conversations centered the chat title, and tapping it opened a bottom-sheet menu with various options. Now, the redesign features the chat title aligned to the left, with a new chat button positioned next to it.

The share option is located next to the new chat button and instantly creates a link, opening the system’s sharing sheet. Furthermore, the standard three-dot overflow menu is available, offering options like Pin, Rename, Delete, Help, and Feedback.

It’s a more conventional and familiar approach than the downward-facing caret, but it clutters things up, especially with the hamburger icon on the other side. Moving the share button into the three-dot menu would help.

The share and overflow icons are available side-by-side on gemini.google.com, but this functionality is not present on the Gemini for iOS application.

This week, an update (version 1.2026.0570001) for the iPhone and iPad app introduced a noticeable increase in the size of the Gemini spark. The new, larger spark is now positioned much closer to the edge of the rounded square, better aligning with the design of other Google apps.