New emoji, AI widgets, and AirDrop for (almost) everyone.
Would it shock you to hear that Android 17 is filled with new AI-enabled features, like improved dictation and vibe-coded widgets? Fortunately, that’s not all. The platform is getting non-AI updates too, from an emoji overhaul to a new screentime tool that helps you avoid distracting apps.
Google has just revealed the biggest changes coming in its next OS update as part of its dedicated Android Show, ahead of next week’s big I/O developer conference. The Android software updates came alongside a tease of upcoming Android-powered Googlebook laptops and a host of Android Auto updates. Here are all the new updates that matter and when you can expect them to arrive on your phone.
Google has overhauled Android’s emoji set — all 4,000 of them. The new emoji are a little more three-dimensional, with depth and detail lacking in the cartoonish versions they’re replacing.
The new emoji will arrive on Pixel phones first, later this year.
