The public release of Android 17 is set to make its debut in the next couple of months, and those on the beta are now getting a new release with Beta 4. The beta release is available for all compatible Pixel devices, with the Pixel 6 being the oldest model supported.
The beta can be installed on the Pixel Tablet as well. This will be the last beta before the public release, so the experience is pretty complete at this point. If you’re interested in giving it a try, you’ll need to join the beta, but the download is completely free.
Lots of fixes
Android 17 has been relatively stable since the release of Beta 2, so we don’t really find it all that surprising that Beta 4 is bringing more fixes. Beta 4 comes as build CP21.260330.008 for all devices. If you’re interested in the details, we’ve posted all the fixes verbatim from the Android Developer website.
- Resolved an issue where webpage URLs were automatically included when sharing screenshots from the capture preview, causing unwanted links to be shared with image files. (Issue #444631269)
- An accessibility issue caused the device to become completely unresponsive and unusable. (Issue #484755628)
- Fixed an issue where the media control widget could disappear or fail to navigate between multiple active media sessions. (Issue #457008153, Issue #466760800, Issue #497131275, Issue #499041878)
- Fixed an issue where dream services failed to correctly process key events, trigger keyguard bouncer prompts, or execute service lifecycle callbacks. (Issue #485661973)
- Resolved an issue that prevented users from successfully downloading and applying cinematic or local weather wallpaper effects. (Issue #475924636)
- Resolved an issue where the device would freeze and spontaneously restart while typing in messaging applications. (Issue #478417840)
- Fixed a critical system instability issue that causes the device to hang and crash during normal usage. (Issue #427436873, Issue #428838049)
- Fixed an issue causing devices to experience significantly reduced charging speeds when approaching the 80% battery limit, resulting in long delays before the device reaches its target charge and enters bypass mode. (Issue #485148344, Issue #490178498)
- Fixed a rendering issue that caused multicolored horizontal lines to randomly obscure the device display. (Issue #478953060, Issue #478177624, Issue #483765859, Issue #487263076)
- Pulling down the notification drawer while a feedback report is in progress can cause a System UI crash and device freeze. (Issue #488920581)
- Critical system components including Pixel Launcher and navigation may crash or become unresponsive for several minutes after a device reboot. (Issue #317282987, Issue #316689583, Issue #316188779)
- Fixed an accessibility issue that prevents users from properly interacting with apps after minimizing and returning to a split-screen view. (Issue #490735259)
- Resolved an issue that prevented Bluetooth from being re-enabled after it was turned off via the system settings or quick settings panel. (Issue #498320401)
- Notifications marked with setSilent(true) may unexpectedly play alert sounds on Android 16 when multiple notifications are present in the shade. (Issue #467164528)
- Wi-Fi analyzer applications fail to detect any available Wi-Fi signals, preventing network scanning and signal monitoring. (Issue #488493098, Issue #488244938, Issue #491531212, Issue #490566133, Issue #488742605, Issue #488437847, Issue #489664292, Issue #492229996, Issue #492403933, Issue #492078596, Issue #493259320, Issue #490313462, Issue #494716049, Issue #495146669, Issue #490268954, Issue #496870370, Issue #497174811, Issue #496927303, Issue #497726865, Issue #498299558, Issue #496860223, Issue #498454519, Issue #499751486, Issue #491171326)
Now, as you might expect, the experience isn’t quite perfect, with open issues still needing to be resolved. However, the beta is pretty good for daily use, so if you’re eager to get an early look, we can recommend it. You just need to sign up for the beta, and it will automatically arrive to your phone OTA.
However, it’s important to note that this is a beta, so there are things that can pop up in daily use. If you rely on your device for everything, it might be good to hold off for now. You wouldn’t want to be out and about and have your phone start failing you when you need it most. Again, the beta is available for the Pixel 6 and up, and even includes the Pixel 10a, which is the latest device from Google.
