Googlebook Cross-Device Features Require an Android 17 Phone, Google Says

The affected features include task continuity, shared file and storage access, streaming phone apps on the laptop screen, and synced notifications. These are the functions Google has repeatedly presented as evidence of deep integration between Googlebooks and Android phones.

Because Android 17 adoption remains limited, the requirement could exclude a large share of devices. Google Pixels generally run the latest Android version, but the situation is less consistent across other manufacturers. Samsung’s latest foldables launched with the Android 17-based One UI 9 update, and the company is also pushing stable One UI 9 to last year’s flagship phones. Owners of mid-range Galaxy phones and older flagships are still waiting. Xiaomi, Motorola, and OnePlus have seen limited rollouts, while some brands are still launching phones with Android 16, including the POCO F9 series.

Google also said that not all apps can be streamed from a phone to a Googlebook. Apps with DRM-protected video or sensitive content, such as banking apps, will not support app streaming. Instead, users will see a “privacy screen” for those apps. The restriction is similar to limitations seen with DeX mode and other screen output or mirroring tools.

The Android 17 requirement applies to the cross-device features that Google has used to distinguish Googlebooks from conventional laptops. Without an Android 17 phone, users cannot take advantage of task continuity, shared file access, phone app streaming, or synced notifications. The practical effect is that the Googlebook experience depends not only on the laptop but also on owning a sufficiently new phone.

For now, Google has not indicated whether it will bring these cross-device features to older Android versions. Android Authority reported that it hopes Google will do so sooner rather than later. The first Googlebooks are available, but the integration that makes them stand out is limited to users with phones on Android 17.

Editor's Summary

Google has confirmed that key Googlebook cross-device features require an Android 17 phone, affecting task continuity, shared file access, app streaming, and synced notifications. Because Android 17 is still limited across many devices, some users will not be able to use those features. Google also said apps with DRM-protected video or sensitive content cannot be streamed and will show a privacy screen instead.