Google starts Android 17 rollout as Wear OS 7 and XR plans advance

Google has begun sending Android 17 to compatible Pixel phones, putting its latest phone and tablet features in users’ hands before a wider Android rollout. Google says other device makers will release the update during 2026, while some announced tools, including parts of Gemini Intelligence, are due later.

The release gives Google a larger role in Android multitasking across phones, foldables and tablets. According to Google, Android 17 adds official support for floating Bubble app windows that users can open with a long press, with a bubble bar on larger screens to help switch between apps.

Android 17 reaches Pixel phones first

Google said Android 17 is available now for compatible Pixel phones, alongside June Pixel Drop features. The update follows the operating system’s formal introduction last month at Google’s pre-I/O Android Show, according to The Verge.

Among the additions, Google lists a Screen Reaction recording mode and new features aimed at foldable phones. The Verge reported that Pixel foldables will receive gamepad-style controls first, alongside native controller remapping, though Google says that rollout will happen in the coming months.

Google is also preparing a feature called Continue On, which lets users begin a task on an Android phone and pick it up on a compatible tablet. Google says the feature will initially move activity from phone to tablet, with bidirectional support planned later.

Privacy and device-feedback changes have also appeared in Android 17 testing. Google said the update will let users share precise location with an app only until that app is closed, and will show a persistent indicator when a non-system app accesses location. 9to5Google and Android Authority reported that an Android 17 beta included references to Pixel Glow, a feature that would use light and color on the back of a device for activity alerts.

Wear OS 7 starts rolling out

Google is also rolling out Wear OS 7 to the Pixel Watch 2, Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4. The company says the update brings Live Updates to watches, allowing time-sensitive information such as sports scores and meal deliveries to appear on both a watch and an Android phone.

Google claims Wear OS 7 can deliver up to 10 percent better battery life than Wear OS 6. The company has also described Wear Widgets, a new format for glanceable watch information that can appear in small and large layouts aligned with Android widget sizes.

Google says Gemini Intelligence will come to select watches later this year. The Verge described Gemini Intelligence as Google’s label for more personalized and proactive Gemini features.

Android XR moves toward consumer hardware

Xreal has opened reservations for the Xreal Aura, the Android XR glasses developed with Google under Project Aura. Xreal says reservations cost $99, with a launch expected this fall in the US, UK, Japan, Canada and South Korea.

Xreal has not announced the final price. The company says customers who reserve during a two-week launch offer will receive $199 in credit toward the purchase price, which it describes as a $100 savings on the final cost. The Verge reported that Best Buy will be the first in-store retail partner.

The Aura follows Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset, Google’s first Android-powered XR device, which launched in October 2025 at $1,799, according to The Verge. Google has said Xreal is a lead hardware partner for Android XR, extending work that began with Project Aura.

This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.