Android 17 Beta 2: Google Adds Real Windows to Android 17 and Cracks Down on App Contact Access

Google has rolled out the second test build of Android 17, and its main highlight is a new way for apps to exist on your screen. The most noticeable feature that immediately catches the eye is the Bubbles multitasking mode.

Here's how it works: by long-pressing any app icon on the home screen, you can minimize it into a small window that floats on top of the interface, and you can move it around just like a window in Windows. On tablets and foldable smartphones, a dedicated panel (the Bubble Bar) has been added to manage these windows, pinned to the taskbar. However, it's not entirely clear yet how well this will work on standard, smaller-screen smartphones.

The second major area of change involves security, and here Google has decided to take a route of targeted but strict restrictions. First, the system contact picker has been revamped. Previously, when an app asked for access to your contacts, it essentially got full access. But now, a new interface has been introduced where the request will only be made for specific data (for example, only the email or only the phone number), and even then, only within a single session.

Second, a new runtime permission has been introduced. So, if an app wants to discover devices on your local network—to see what speakers, TVs, or smart home bulbs you have—it will now have to ask for permission separately. Before, many apps exploited loopholes to scan your Wi-Fi network and collect device fingerprints for ad trackers.

In this new OS version, the indicators in the quick settings panel that light up when an app is using the camera, microphone, or location have become bolder and more noticeable. According to Google's roadmap, we'll see the final set of APIs (Platform Stability) as early as March, while the final, stable version of Android 17 is promised for June. Google Pixel owners with the 6th generation and newer who have signed up for the testing program can download the beta now.

Would you use the feature to minimize any app into a floating window on a regular smartphone, or is this a feature just for tablets and foldables? Share your opinion in the comments.