Gadgets

January 30, 2026, 8:10 AM EST. Android Authority's Rita El Khoury reports that Google's next Android, Android 17, leans into blur and translucency. Leaked images show UI elements heavily blurred, letting wallpaper colors seep through. In a reader poll exceeding 2,600 votes, about three-quarters welcomed the direction or remained open to more evidence. Critics urged more contrast, less translucency, or an option to adjust strength, with some calling the move "lipstick on a pig" or lamenting a drift from the original Material You. A separate reader poll split opinions on whether the design mirrors iOS too closely; roughly 52% disagreed it's too similar. Google faces pressure to balance aesthetics with usability, and to offer controls that temper the new look while keeping momentum in the Android ecosystem.