Android 17 Beta 3 released, gets ready for One UI 9

The first internal beta of Samsung’s Android 17-based One UI 9.0 software for the Galaxy S26 Ultra was recently leaked. Now, Google has released stock Android 17 Beta 3, marking its platform stability phase. This means major features and APIs are finalized, allowing device makers like Samsung to move ahead with development of their software.

Samsung is now expected to accelerate One UI 9 development ahead of its likely release in mid-2026. So, what’s new in Android 17 Beta 3 and which improvements can you expect to see in One UI 9?

Google has now dropped the internal codename “Cinnamon Bun,” which was mentioned in the first One UI 9 leaked build. It officially refers to the OS as Android 17. The update introduces several UI, customization, and usability improvements.

Android 17 brings per-app controls for the Expanded Dark Theme, allowing users to force dark mode on apps that do not support it natively. There is also an option to remove labels from app icons and widgets on the home screen, a feature already available in One UI 8.5.

The location permission pop-up has been redesigned, with Approximate and Precise options now displayed in a clearer rounded layout with a checkmark indicator. This could arrive in One UI 9.

Google has also separated the Internet toggle back into individual Mobile Data and Wi-Fi toggles in Quick Settings. Since a combined Internet toggle was never a part of One UI, it won't bring any change to One UI 9.

Other visual tweaks include increased use of background blur across the UI, such as in the widget selection menu. Samsung could use similar tweaks in parts of One UI 9.0.

Android 17 allows apps to open in floating pop-up windows that can minimize into bubbles. On foldable devices, these bubbles can be pinned to the taskbar for quick access from anywhere, and this is a change you could see on Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Z Fold, and Galaxy Z TriFold devices.

Picture-in-picture mode has also been improved, with controls remaining active while the PiP window is on screen. You can expect to see it appear in One UI 9.

There is also better support for widgets on external displays, which should improve the experience in environments like Samsung DeX.

The screen recording tool has received a redesign, featuring a pill-shaped control bar at the top center of the screen. However, Samsung may choose not to adopt this design, as its existing screen recording feature is already quite comprehensive.

Google has added support for the RAW14 (14-bit RAW) image format in Android 17 Beta 3, allowing higher-quality image capture. More importantly, Android 17 introduces support for vendor-defined camera extensions. This enables app developers to access advanced camera features provided by manufacturers.

For example, if Samsung enables these extensions in One UI 9, third-party apps could support features like native 24MP or 200MP image capture, ND filters, or astrophotography modes.

Developers can also detect whether a device is using its built-in camera, an external camera such as a USB webcam, or a virtual camera.

Android 17 introduces independent volume controls for digital voice assistants, separate from media volume. So, you could set separate volumes for media and AI assistants (Bixby, Gemini, or Perplexity). It also adds support for Extended HE-AAC encoding, which offers better audio quality at lower file sizes.

For accessibility, the update brings more granular controls for hearing aids, including options to manage where specific sounds are played. It also allows apps to identify whether a connected Bluetooth LE audio device is a standard earphone or a hearing aid.

Users can now choose which apps bypass a VPN connection, enabling more flexible and selective VPN usage.

App developers can now choose between 1:1 or 9:16 aspect ratios for the system photo picker, allowing better integration within apps and games.

Overall, Android 17 Beta 3 signals that the platform is nearly ready for release, and Samsung is likely to ramp up development of One UI 9.0 in the coming months.