Google Wants to Improve Its Reputation on Social Media With Android 17.
Google has been beta testing Android 17 since February , and so far it’s a fairly minor update. Based on existing beta builds, the new version of Android will introduce ” app bubbles ,” which display apps in floating windows that are easy to close, as well as a new way to remap game controller buttons in Android . But aside from some usability improvements, Android 17 looks like a fairly minor update.
However, it seems Google saved some of its most important features for the Android Show: I/O Edition. While the company announced a number of new features, including Gemini Intelligence , 3D emoji, and “Googlebooks,” most of the Android 17 announcements focused on one thing: social networking.
Images uploaded to Instagram should look better on Android 17.
For years, Android hasn’t had the best reputation when it comes to uploading content to social media. Now, Google wants to change that: in Android 17, the company says it’s partnering with Meta to bring new features to Instagram. These include Ultra HDR support for image capture and playback, built-in video stabilization to reduce shake in uploaded files, and Night Sight integration, which should brighten your Instagram posts when shooting in low-light conditions.
But criticism wasn’t limited to the lack of native tools. Instagram for Android was accused of reducing the quality of uploaded posts, especially when using the built-in camera . Google claims this shouldn’t be the case in Android 17: the company has “optimized the capture and upload process” to preserve detail when posting from Android. Google even claims that videos shot and uploaded on “flagship” Android devices perform similarly or better in the Universal Video Quality (UVQ) model than those of a “leading competitor.” (This isn’t specifically stated, but I’m sure everyone understands that they’re talking about iPhones.)
Android 17 brings native Edit app features.
The Edits app by Instagram is a video editing tool designed for creating videos for Instagram. The app is available for both iOS and Android, but according to Google, the Android version will receive a number of exclusive new features in Android 17.
First, there’s the Smart Enhance feature, which uses the device’s built-in AI to enhance the quality of photos and videos. There’s also a new Audio Split feature, which displays all the sounds in your video on separate tracks. If there’s anything you don’t want to hear (wind, noise, extraneous music, etc.), you can easily isolate it and remove it from the finished video.
Instagram is coming to Android tablets.
In September, Instagram made a splash by releasing its first dedicated iPad app . After nearly 15 years of being exclusive to small screens, Meta released an app optimized for the iPad display.
According to Google, the same benefits are now available for Android tablets, but the company doesn’t seem to be focusing too much on the consumer segment. Instead, Google states that vloggers and filmmakers can now use a new, optimized interface to edit their videos on a “bigger screen.” As video editing continues to shift to mobile devices—especially for short videos—it’s logical that Google wants to offer tools for users who need a larger screen to work with, while still maintaining touchscreen functionality.
The Adobe Premiere app will be available on Android this summer.
As part of these announcements, Google announced that Adobe Premiere is finally coming to Android. The app has been available on iOS since August , but Google states that the Android version will feature exclusive templates and effects designed for publishing directly to YouTube Shorts. It’s unclear whether Premiere on Android will require Android 17, but Google included this news in its Android 17 announcements.
What does this mean for uploading content to social media on Android?
The fact that Google focused the Android 17 announcement on social media speaks volumes. It suggests that Google feels it’s falling behind Apple in this race, as more and more users associate the iPhone with social media and short video uploads. I’m not sure whether these features will spur a new wave of Android users posting content to platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts, but perhaps it’s time. After all, it once seemed like the Mac would never catch up with the PC.