Big change in Android 17 Beta 2, now work can be continued from phone to tablet like this, Google increased security layer

Google has released the second beta update of Android 17, which is being rolled out for eligible Pixel devices included in the Android Beta program. The company says that the focus of Android 17 is on performance improvement, smooth user experience and better system efficiency. Also, a target has been set to achieve the platform stability milestone by the middle of next month.

New features and improvements
A new bubble feature has been added to improve multitasking in Android 17 Beta 2. Users can create a floating bubble by long-pressing an app icon in a pinned taskbar, which will open the app page in a multi-window format. This feature will also be made available on tablets, smartphones and foldable devices.

Additionally, a new ‘system-level’ Eyedropper API has been introduced, allowing developers to select colors from any pixel on the screen in their apps, without requiring sensitive screen capture permissions.

The contacts picker has also been revamped. It now provides temporary read-only access, reducing the need for users to grant extensive permissions, thereby improving privacy.

Handoff API and cross-device experience
New Handoff API has been added in Android 17 Beta 2. Through this, users can continue the work started on one device on another Android device.

For example, content being read on a phone can be continued on a larger screen on a tablet. This feature works like Apple’s Handoff feature, which provides seamless transition between iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Strong OTP Scam Protection
Google has expanded the scope of SMS OTP protection to prevent OTP hijacking. Now the apps which do not have permission to send messages in WebOTP format will be able to access OTP after three hours. This will help prevent real-time abuse.

Android 17 Beta 2 brings important upgrades in terms of multitasking, privacy, security and cross-device connectivity, which sets the direction for the upcoming stable version.