The Android 17 beta releases are really heating up now. After a month between Beta 2 and Beta 3, Android 17 Beta 4 is now available just three weeks later. This is the last “scheduled” beta release, meaning the stable update is only a few months away.
The third beta arrived with Platform Stability, so there’s not as much new stuff to talk about this time around. If you haven’t seen our hands-on with the new multitasking tools and desktop mode, those are two of the biggest features in Android 17. But back to Android 17 Beta 4.
Updates of note
App memory limits
Android is introducing app memory limits based on the device’s total RAM to create a more stable and deterministic environment for your applications and Android users. In Android 17, limits are set conservatively to establish system baselines, targeting extreme memory leaks and other outliers before they trigger system-wide instability resulting in UI stuttering, higher battery drain, and apps being killed.
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in Android Keystore
Android Keystore added support for the NIST-standardized ML-DSA (Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm). On supported devices, you can generate ML-DSA keys and use them to produce quantum-safe signatures, entirely in the device’s secure hardware.
Background audio hardening
Starting in Android 17, the audio framework enforces restrictions on background audio interactions including audio playback, audio focus requests, and volume change APIs. Based on your feedback, we’ve made some changes since beta 2, including targetSDK gating while-in-use FGS enforcement and exempting alarm audio. Full details available in updated guidance.
As always, we encourage you to read the full blog post on the Android Developers blog for all the technical details. Google also shared a lengthy list of bug fixes for Beta 4 over on the Android Beta subreddit.
Android 17 Beta 4 is available for all Pixel generations from the Pixel 6 through Pixel 10, including the Fold and A series. Enroll in the official Android beta program now to receive the update as an OTA on your phone. Android 16 was released in June last year, and Android 17 seems to be right on schedule for a similar launch.
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