What you need to know
- Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 is officially here, starting testing for Google’s next Pixel Feature Drop arriving in December 2026.
- This beta version includes fixes for Bluetooth reconnection crashes, lock screen media crashes, Gemini-related reboot crashes, and touch input bugs.
- The update is compatible with the Pixel 6a through the Pixel 10 line, as well as the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet, and is available through the Android Beta Program and the Android Emulator.
Google doesn’t waste time afterwards Concluding Android 17 QPR1. The company has officially kicked off testing of Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1, offering Pixel users and developers a first look at the next quarterly update that is expected to arrive as a December 2026 Feature Drop.
This version does not include any new user-friendly features, but it fixes some annoying bugs that have plagued Pixel owners. in his official release notesGoogle says it has fixed an issue where Bluetooth devices might not reconnect after losing pairing, with no indication that there was a problem. There is also a fix that prevents media controls from flashing briefly on the lock screen when a phone is activated, even if notifications for that app have been disabled.
The most important solution is perhaps to Gemini. Pixel devices may suddenly restart when launching Google’s AI assistant due to a system crash. Google also fixed an issue with touch input where apps stopped receiving touch events after users performed a multi-finger drag-and-drop gesture.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 is now available with build number CP41.260701.005 and supports most of the supported Pixels including Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 series, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 8 series, Pixel 9 family and the latest version. Pixel 10 devices. It is also available through the Android emulator, and users enrolled in the program can install it over the air through the Android Beta program.
But the launch also brings with it an important change. If you still have a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, your beta journey ends here. These devices have reached their guaranteed update limits, so the QPR1 branch above is their final beta release.
Android Central’s opinion
I don’t care if Google takes a break from releasing flashy new features if it means they’ll actually fix the bugs that are hindering my phone’s use. Not having access to another AI hack is 100 times more annoying than Gemini demanding a reboot or Bluetooth suddenly refuses to reconnect. That said, I still wish Google would spend less time catching up on stability issues in the first place. Pixel owners signed up for a premium Android experience, not a free QA service. If QPR2 delivers a smoother, more reliable phone by December, that’s a win. But it would be even better if these fixes didn’t have to wait for a quarterly update.
