By Chris Welch,Mark Gurman
Publication Date: 2026-05-14 14:48:00
Alphabet Inc.’s Google announced a slew of upcoming features for its Android 17 operating system, showcasing its progress in artificial intelligence weeks before Apple Inc. is set to announce major upgrades to its own iOS platform and AI offerings.
The Android updates, announced Tuesday in addition to a new “Googlebook” laptop platform, include advanced capabilities for the company’s Gemini AI assistant, redesigned emoji and improvements that should appease creators who frequently post videos to Meta Platforms Inc.’s Instagram.
Google said the new features will roll out in waves. Several of them will debut on Samsung Electronics Co.’s next foldable phones and Google’s own Pixel 11 series, both coming this summer.
“There is a great concern about Al for Al’s sake, and we want to be very purposeful,” Sameer Samat, who oversees the Android ecosystem, said in an interview.
The company is detailing its plans just weeks before Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference,…
