It’s been nearly a month since Google released the stable build of Android 17 for Pixel phones.
We’re only a month away from the new range of Pixel devices, as well as Android 17’s first Feature Drop, which should bring new additions like new 3D emojis and Gemini Intelligence.
That doesn’t mean the current Android 17 release is lacking useful features.
I recently wrote about how App Bubbles completely changed multitasking on my Google Pixel 10 Pro, but that was before I installed the stable build on my Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which opened things up in a completely new direction.
After spending some time with it on a foldable, I realized App Bubbles make even more sense on a larger display.
Here’s how App Bubbles completely changed multitasking for me on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
How to use Android 17’s App Bubbles on a Pixel Fold
Google quietly fixed my biggest annoyance with App Bubbles
A foldable is arguably the best form factor for multitasking on Android.
While I may not be the biggest multitasker, my dad uses his foldable every day with the stock market open on one side and WhatsApp on the other.
It’s the only type of phone that gives him enough screen space to get work done without reaching for a laptop.
If you’re in the same boat and want something even quicker, Android 17 adds another feature that makes multitasking even better: App Bubbles.
App Bubbles let you open almost any app in a floating window. When you’re done, you can minimize it to the taskbar instead of closing it. It’s almost like minimizing a window on a desktop operating system.
On regular slab phones, minimized apps remain as floating bubbles on the edge of the screen.
But on foldables like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Google integrated them into the taskbar instead, which feels like a much cleaner implementation.
The taskbar makes App Bubbles feel more like desktop windows than floating phone apps.
The app continues running in the background after you minimize it. Whenever you want to jump back in, tap its icon in the taskbar. If you want to dismiss it completely, drag it down to the bottom of the screen.
And if you want to return to the app you were using, tap anywhere outside the floating window, and the App Bubble will automatically minimize.
Creating an App Bubble is simple:
- Find the app you want to use on the home screen or in the app drawer.
- Press and hold the app icon.
- Tap Bubble from the menu.
- The app immediately opens in a floating window.
Repeat the same process for any other apps you want to keep available as App Bubbles.
There are a couple of limitations, though.
Android currently lets you keep up to five App Bubbles active at once. On foldable phones, if you’re using a full-screen app, you’ll need to swipe up slightly to reveal the taskbar before tapping an App Bubble.
It adds one extra step compared to slab phones, but in return, you get a much cleaner interface because there isn’t a floating bubble constantly sitting on top of your app.
Quiz
Android 17 history and features
Trivia challenge
How well do you know Google’s latest Android release — put your knowledge to the test.
HistoryFeaturesDesignUpdatesSecurity
What is the official dessert codename associated with Android 17?
That’s right — Android 17 carries the internal codename Baklava! Google stopped publicly advertising dessert names after Android 9 Pie, but the internal codenames have continued as a beloved tradition among developers and Android enthusiasts.
Not quite — the correct answer is Baklava. Google quietly maintained the dessert codename tradition internally even after retiring the public-facing names with Android 9 Pie, and Android 17 follows alphabetical dessert order with the letter B.
Which version of Android introduced the Predictive Back Gesture as a fully enforced system-wide behavior?
Correct! Android 16 marked the point where Predictive Back became fully enforced for apps targeting the latest SDK. The feature was introduced gradually over several releases, but Android 16 made compliance mandatory for newly submitted apps on Google Play.
Not quite. While Predictive Back was first introduced as an opt-in developer option in Android 13 and progressively rolled out across Android 14 and 15, it became fully enforced system-wide behavior starting with Android 16.
What major visual design language was introduced alongside Android 12 and has continued evolving through subsequent releases including Android 17?
Spot on — Material You debuted with Android 12 and brought dynamic color theming that pulls palette inspiration from your wallpaper. It has continued to mature through each subsequent Android version, with Android 17 refining its adaptive theming capabilities even further.
The correct answer is Material You. Google unveiled this expressive design system with Android 12, replacing the older Material Design guidelines with a more personalized, wallpaper-driven color system that has evolved with every major Android release since.
Which Android feature, strengthened in Android 15 and further refined in Android 17, protects users by preventing sideloaded apps from drawing overlays during sensitive permission prompts?
Correct! Protected permission dialogs prevent overlay attacks where a malicious sideloaded app could draw a fake UI on top of a system permission prompt. This anti-clickjacking protection was significantly bolstered in Android 15 and continues to be refined in Android 17.
The right answer is protected permission dialogs. This security measure specifically blocks apps from drawing overlays during system permission prompts, closing off a category of clickjacking attacks that bad actors have historically used to trick users into granting unintended permissions.
Android 16 introduced a major update to the Health Connect platform. What key capability was added?
That’s right! Android 16 expanded Health Connect by granting fitness and health apps the ability to access data in the background without requiring the user to have the app open. This was a significant step toward enabling continuous health monitoring use cases on Android.
Not quite — the major Health Connect update in Android 16 was the addition of background reading access for fitness apps. This allowed health applications to fetch data continuously in the background, unlocking more sophisticated passive monitoring scenarios for developers.
Which Android version first introduced support for satellite connectivity for emergency messaging?
Correct — Android 14 was the first version to include platform-level APIs for satellite-based emergency messaging. This laid the groundwork for manufacturers and carriers to offer satellite SOS features similar to what Apple had introduced on iPhone 14.
The correct answer is Android 14. Google added the underlying satellite connectivity APIs in Android 14, enabling device makers to build satellite-assisted emergency messaging features into their hardware, bringing Android on par with competing platforms that had already launched similar capabilities.
What is the name of the system Google uses to deliver core Android security and feature updates directly to devices without requiring a full OS update from the manufacturer?
That’s correct — Google Play System Updates, sometimes called Mainline, allow Google to push critical security patches and module updates directly through the Play Store, bypassing the slow traditional OEM update pipeline. This system has expanded significantly from Android 10 through to Android 17.
The right answer is Google Play System Updates, also known as Project Mainline. Introduced with Android 10, this mechanism lets Google update core OS modules directly via the Play Store without waiting for full firmware updates from device manufacturers, dramatically speeding up security patching across the ecosystem.
Android 17 refined adaptive refresh rate behavior for displays. What technology underpins the system’s ability to dynamically drop display refresh rates to save battery during static content?
Correct! LPTO, which stands for Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide, is the display panel technology that enables hardware-level variable refresh rates — including drops as low as 1Hz for static screens. Android 17 builds on earlier work to give apps and the system finer-grained control over this power-saving capability.
The answer is LPTO panel switching. LPTO displays can vary their refresh rate across an extremely wide range — sometimes from 1Hz all the way up to 120Hz or more — and Android 17 continues to refine how the OS and apps can leverage this hardware capability to intelligently reduce power consumption.
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App Bubbles are even better on a foldable
Google’s taskbar makes jumping between apps feel almost like using a desktop
App Bubbles were already one of my favorite Android 17 features on regular phones. But after using them on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, they’ve quickly become my favorite feature in the entire update.
I think this is the biggest multitasking improvement Android has received in years.
Yes, other manufacturers have their own approaches. Oppo and OnePlus (now dead) have Open Canvas, and Samsung lets you keep apps floating in pop-up windows.
But I prefer Google’s implementation because it feels much better for quick, glanceable multitasking.
A good example is my own workflow. When I’m researching an article, I constantly jump between Chrome and my notes.
With App Bubbles, I can quickly open Chrome, search for something, grab the information I need, minimize it, and continue writing without cluttering the screen with multiple windows.
The same applies to YouTube. I don’t particularly like keeping YouTube’s picture-in-picture window floating on top of everything, which is why I rely on background playback.
With App Bubbles, I can quickly jump back into the app to skip videos or change playback without interrupting whatever else I’m doing.
Still, there are a few things I’d like Google to improve.
Right now, there’s no way to convert an app that’s already open into an App Bubble. You have to relaunch it as a bubble from the app icon, and I’d love to see that change in a future Android 17 QPR update.
I’ve also noticed that if I tap a link in another app while using Chrome on the main screen, Android opens it in a completely new Chrome window instead of opening it inside the existing App Bubble.
I’d love to see Google change that, although it’s hardly a deal-breaker.
This is how I’ll use my Pixel Fold from now on
After using App Bubbles on my Pixel 10 Pro Fold for the past week, I feel they’ve taken multitasking to another level.
But the best part is that this is only one of several hidden Pixel Fold features that make better use of the larger display. If you own one, there are plenty of other multitasking tricks worth exploring.
8.5/10
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- RAM
-
16GB
- Storage
-
256 GB / 512 GB/ 1TB with Zoned UFS
- Battery
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5015mAh
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold offers Gemini AI features and can withstand an impressive 10 years of screen folding. This smartphone is an investment that’ll last for years to come.
