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Table of contents Ten Android 17 features coming to your phone Which phones get Android 17? Android 17, codenamed Cinnamon Bun, is the biggest Android update in years. Google previewed it at The Android Show on May 12, 2026, and the stable version is expected to start rolling out to Pixel devices in June or July 2026. Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and other brands will follow later in 2026. But here’s what you need to know before getting excited: getting Android 17 on your phone doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get all its best features. Gemini Intelligence, the headline AI upgrade, is locked to 2026 flagship devices with 12GB or more of RAM. The Pixel 9, a 2025 flagship, does not qualify. Neither do most mid-range phones. So what you actually get depends heavily on which device you own. Ten Android 17 features coming to your phone Here is a full breakdown of every major Android 17 feature, what it does, and which devices get it. 1. A new look: Material 3 Expressive The most visible change in Android 17 is a new design language called Material 3 Expressive. The biggest shift is a frosted glass effect across the entire system. When you press the volume button, the slider becomes translucent so your wallpaper shows through. The same treatment applies to the power menu, Quick Settings panel, notification shade, home screen folders, and the widget picker. Google internally calls this effect “blur” and it is tinted by your phone’s Dynamic Color theme so everything feels consistent. Other design changes include: Springier, more natural animations powered by physics-based motion New icon shapes and heavier, bolder typography A per-app dark theme toggle, so you can exempt specific apps that look broken in dark mode Mandatory auto-theming for third-party apps. Google has required all apps on the Play Store to supply themed icons. For apps that do not, Android auto-generates one. TikTok and other holdouts no longer have a choice. A color picker with four presets is also in the works, according to a 9to5Google report from May 12, 2026. The options are Neutral (gray tones), Soft (subtle colors), Bright (more vibrant), and Bold (a mix of colors throughout), plus a slider to set any accent color independent of your wallpaper. These are not confirmed for the first stable Android 17 release and are likely coming in a later quarterly update. Android 17’s frosted glass look has also drawn comparisons to Apple’s iOS 26 Liquid Glass design. Google’s Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat pushed back on this, writing on X on May 5, 2026 in reply to a mockup imagining Liquid Glass on a Pixel 11: “Not happening! Y’all are wild.” Reviewers at 9to5Google and How-To Geek agree Android’s implementation is more restrained than Apple’s, but the visual parallels are there. Who gets this with Android 17: Pixel phones (Pixel 6 and newer) already got Material 3 Expressive via the Android 16 QPR1 update in September 2025. Android 17 is what carries the full design to Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and every other Android brand. 2. Gemini Intelligence: AI that does tasks, not just answers questions Gemini Intelligence is Google’s biggest Android 17 announcement. It is an AI layer built into the operating system that can handle multi-step tasks in the background while you use your phone for something else. Google is framing this as Android evolving from an operating system into an intelligence system. It is not a new app. It runs underneath the OS and brings several features together: Multi-step task automation: You can describe a task, and Gemini handles it across multiple apps. For example, show Gemini your shopping list and ask it to build a delivery cart. It moves between apps, fills in the details, and pauses before anything is purchased so you can confirm. Gemini in Chrome: Starting late June 2026, Gemini can browse across multiple open tabs, compare information, and take actions on your behalf, such as booking a doctor’s appointment or reserving parking. Intelligent Autofill: Fills in forms using context from your connected Google apps like Gmail and Photos. Create My Widget: Lets you describe a home screen widget in plain text, and Gemini builds it for you. Works best with Google’s own services. Rambler: A Gboard voice mode that removes filler words like “um” and “ah” in real time and handles mid-sentence language switching. Hardware requirements: To use Gemini Intelligence, your phone needs Gemini Nano v3 or newer, a flagship-grade processor, and at least 12GB of RAM. This is more demanding than Apple Intelligence, which requires 8GB. Phones that qualify at launch include the Pixel 10 series (not the 10a), the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Phones that get Android 17 but do NOT get Gemini Intelligence include the entire Pixel 9 family, the Pixel 6, 7, and 8 series, the Pixel 9a and 10a, the Samsung Galaxy S25 line, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Pixel 9 Pro has 16GB of RAM and still does not qualify because it runs Gemini Nano v2, not v3. Google has not said whether this is a permanent hardware limitation or something that could change with a future update. Honest caveat: Google has made big AI promises before that took a long time to feel useful in daily use. Gemini Intelligence looks impressive in demos, but the real test comes after the summer 2026 rollout, when people are using it on their actual phones. 3. Desktop mode Android 17 brings a full desktop experience when you connect your phone to an external display. Think of it as Samsung DeX, built into Android itself on every compatible phone. What you get: A taskbar at the bottom of the screen where you can pin your most-used apps Resizable, floating windows you can snap and arrange freely Drag-and-drop between apps (where apps support it) Full mouse and keyboard support Interactive Picture-in-Picture, so you can keep a video call running while you work
Read MoreThe Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new market-structure rules that could prevent any single financial institution from dominating both consumer and merchant payments. In a circular issued on Monday, the regulator disclosed that any licenced financial institution that controls more than 25% of the consumer-issuing market will be restricted to a maximum of 15% market share in merchant-acquiring activities. The rule comes as banks and fintechs expand beyond their traditional niches to serve both consumers and merchants. The regulator’s new framework is designed to prevent any single institution from becoming the dominant gateway for cashless transactions, reducing concentration and systemic risk in the payments ecosystem. “Any licenced financial Institution engaged in merchant acquiring activities, whether individually or as part of group of related entities, that holds more than twenty-five percent (25%) market share in merchants acquiring activities within any rolling twelve-month period shall not hold more than fifteen percent (15%) market share in consumer issuing activities during the same period,” the CBN said in its circular. Consumer issuing refers to services that enable consumers to make payments, including bank accounts, payment cards, digital wallets and other payment instruments. Merchant acquiring is the infrastructure that enables businesses to accept payments, including payment gateways, Point-of-Sale (PoS) services, and merchant settlement systems. The rule, which takes effect on December 31, 2026, is designed to prevent excessive concentration in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital payments ecosystem, which processed ₦1.2 quadrillion ($884.78 billion) in 2025. The move has significant implications for major fintech companies such as Paystack, Flutterwave, and Moniepoint, many of which have spent years building strong merchant-payment businesses and are increasingly expanding into customer-facing banking services. In January, Paystack acquired Ladder Microfinance Bank, and in April, Flutterwave secured an MFB licence after acquiring open banking startup Mono, as fintechs move to convert payment users into banking customers. Traditional banks such as United Bank for Africa could also be affected if they seek to build substantial market share in merchant acquiring while retaining dominant positions in consumer banking. The CBN said the new requirements were introduced in response to concerns around market concentration, operational dependence, and the emergence of operators with substantial market presence across key payment activities. The restrictions will apply not only to individual companies but also to groups of related entities. Financial institutions cannot circumvent the rules by separating consumer and merchant businesses into different subsidiaries while retaining common ownership or control. “All regulated entities shall submit monthly market share returns in accordance with prescribed templates and timelines,” the CBN said in the circular. The market-share limits form part of a broader set of reforms targeting the payments industry. The CBN is also requiring banks and fintechs to disclose the ultimate beneficial owners of significant shareholdings and is pushing operators to use local cloud infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen oversight and localise critical payments data. The rules show a regulator in favour of a more fragmented market, where competition is maintained on both sides of the payments ecosystem. “The CBN shall monitor compliance with the provisions of this circular and may, where necessary, impose supervisory sanctions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines,” the regulator added.
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16 juin 2026 Hello , Welcome back to Francophone Weekly by TechCabal, your weekly deep dive into the tech ecosystem across French-speaking Africa. For readers who want to understand Francophone Africa beyond headlines—through markets, startups, and systems. New editions of the newsletter will land directly in your inbox every Tuesday at 12 PM WAT. By default, this newsletter is in French. If you’re reading this in your email inbox, click the “Read in English” button below to switch to the English version. If you’re reading on our website, you can either click the button below or toggle the language selector at the top right-hand side of the page to view the English edition. Read in English Solarbox mène la révolution des véhicules électriques (VE) dans la région de l’Union Économique et Monétaire Ouest-Africaine (UEMOA) avec des motos électriques, des tricycles et des camions légers chargés à l’énergie renouvelable. Mais pour comprendre pourquoi cette affirmation dépasse le simple discours de présentation, il faut commencer non pas par les véhicules — mais par le soleil. Dans un article précédent, nous avons identifié un schéma récurrent à travers l’Afrique francophone : les VE ont du sens économiquement, les économies sur le carburant sont réelles, et la demande existe. Pourtant, l’adoption reste freinée par des obstacles familiers, notamment le faible soutien des politiques publiques, les taxes à l’importation élevées et les options de financement limitées pour les opérateurs du secteur informel. Dans ce contexte, la startup VE sénégalaise Solarbox a adopté une approche différente. Fondée en 2022 par Tijan Watt et incubée au sein de Wuri Ventures, une société de capital-risque (VC) early-stage qui a soutenu des startups comme Carry1st, Kotani Pay et Jetstream. Watt est également co-fondateur et associé directeur de Wuri Ventures. Selon lui, Solarbox n’attend pas que le réseau électrique s’améliore ni que les gouvernements introduisent des incitations. La startup a plutôt intégré l’énergie solaire directement dans son modèle économique. Pour Watt, ce n’est pas une solution provisoire. C’est la vision à long terme. 1. Pourquoi le solaire change la donne au Sénégal Les véhicules stationnés dans un parking du quartier du Plateau à Dakar, au Sénégal. Source de l’image : Bloomberg. Les combustibles fossiles, notamment le gaz et le diesel, restent une source d’énergie dominante au Sénégal. En 2024, le pays a produit 5,48 térawattheures (TWh) d’électricité à partir de produits pétroliers, alimentant environ 65 % de sa population. Watt affirme que le solaire est une ressource sous-exploitée qui pourrait aider le Sénégal à atteindre sa souveraineté énergétique. Contrairement au pétrole, dont le prix est fixé sur les marchés mondiaux des matières premières, l’énergie solaire est locale par nature et largement à l’abri des chocs géopolitiques. Le Sénégal figure parmi les dix premiers pays mondiaux pour le potentiel de production solaire. L’expérience de l’Éthiopie offre une comparaison utile : le pays a augmenté la pénétration des VE de moins de 1 % à 8,3 % en deux ans, portée en grande partie par une hydroélectricité abondante et bon marché. L’exemple illustre comment une énergie domestique abordable peut accélérer la mobilité électrique lorsqu’elle est soutenue par la bonne infrastructure et le bon environnement politique. Pour mieux comprendre la thèse de Solarbox, nous nous sommes entretenus avec son fondateur Watt sur les raisons pour lesquelles il croit que la mobilité alimentée par l’énergie solaire pourrait transformer l’économie des transports au Sénégal et à travers l’Afrique. Le tour de pré-seed d’un million de dollars de Solarbox en 2024 a réuni des investisseurs comme le Digital Energy Facility soutenu par l’Agence Française de Développement (AFD), aux côtés de Launch Africa Ventures, JLL Foundation et Teranga Capital. Lina Kacyem : Le réseau électrique du Sénégal est déjà l’un des plus stables d’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone — moins de dix heures de coupure par an à Dakar et 41 % de pénétration des énergies renouvelables. Cela pourrait faire paraître l’intégration solaire comme quelque chose d’incrémental plutôt que de transformationnel. Comment répondez-vous à ce cadrage ? Tijan Watt : Le Kenya fonctionne déjà à environ 90 % d’énergie renouvelable. Le solaire y est un complément. Pour nous, l’infrastructure VE alimentée par le solaire n’est pas une optimisation des coûts. C’est une voie vers la souveraineté énergétique. Les prix mondiaux du pétrole et du gaz sont fixés au niveau international. Même si le Sénégal produit son propre pétrole, les consommateurs restent exposés à la volatilité des prix mondiaux. La tarification solaire est intrinsèquement locale, à l’abri de la géopolitique et des cycles des matières premières. C’est une forme de souveraineté économique qu’on ne peut pas acheter avec un baril de pétrole. Kacyem : Le Sénégal a récemment découvert du pétrole et du gaz offshore. Est-ce que ça ne change pas la donne, en rendant potentiellement les combustibles fossiles une source d’énergie domestique moins chère ? Watt : Ça ne devrait pas détourner l’attention de l’opportunité solaire. Le Sénégal resterait exposé à la volatilité des prix internationaux même avec une production nationale — les prix mondiaux du pétrole sont fixés au niveau mondial, pas par les pays producteurs. La tarification solaire est locale. Et au-delà des prix, il y a des risques géopolitiques qui accompagnent la richesse pétrolière. Les pays qui découvrent du pétrole attirent des intérêts extérieurs qu’ils n’ont pas sollicités. L’énergie solaire n’a aucun de ces bagages. Le Sénégal figure parmi les dix premiers mondiaux en termes de potentiel de production solaire. C’est sur cette dotation que nous devrions construire. Solarbox a commencé par servir des clients corporates comme DHL, FedEx, Orange et Paps Logistics, précisément parce que gérer une petite flotte organisée est opérationnellement faisable pour une startup. Mais le marché de masse a toujours été la destination. La société a déjà lancé un produit pay-as-you-go (PAYG) sans apport initial : les conducteurs scannent un code QR (quick response) et paient par mobile money. Aucune vérification de crédit, aucun compte bancaire, aucun dépôt. Le modèle reprend l’innovation du crédit téléphonique prépayé qui a transformé les télécommunications à travers l’Afrique — une approche délibérément calibrée sur
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