Summary
- Android 17 could bring new screen recorder menu, packing all features into pill-shaped design.
- The release could bring new blur effects to volume slider and power menu.
- Other Android 17 features could include built in app locker and Bubble anything feature for multitasking
The Android 17 leak season has begun and last month, a leak confirmed a host of new Android 17 features coming to Pixel smartphones. Now, a new leak builds on the same and shows us a handful of new features that could further enhance the Android experience, especially on Pixels.
Android 17 could get an Extended Translucent Makeover
According to the information shared by RKBDI with 9to5Google, Google is working on giving Android 17 an extended translucent makeover. The release could finally move the rest of the system elements from solid backgrounds by introducing new blur effects across more parts of the system UI.
The leaked screenshots reveal blur effects in the volume slider that allow the wallpaper to peek through and is tinted by Google's colour engine. Similarly, the generic three-dot overflow icon on the slider has been replaced with Android's OG settings icon. The same extends to the power menu too, where the background will be blurred heavily.
Besides looks, the screen recording utility is expected to get a massive upgrade as well. The current pop-up menu for screen recording is being replaced by a lighter and more versatile floating pill interface, just like on ChromeOS. The pill could host options to choose between partial recording or recording the entire screen, device audio, microphone and show touches, making screen recording on Android easier.
Google could also add on-screen tools to make it easier to annotate. Tapping the status bar chip will bring back the control pill and a new post-recording preview screen allows for quick sharing or editing.
Finally, the long-press context menu on app icons could gain two new buttons – Lock app and Bubble. The former is a nod to the upcoming Android 17 app lock feature, while the latter is the Bubble Anything feature that's been a long time coming. It will let users minimise apps into bubbles and have them in a separate dock for easy access and multitasking.
Android 17 is expected to arrive by May this year at the Google I/O2 2026 event. More details about this next major Android update should surface in the coming months, so stay tuned!
