Google’s new Googlebook laptops pack plenty of multi-device features, but there’s one major catch: You’ll need a phone running Android 17 to use the biggest ones.
Google has confirmed that features such as task continuity, shared file and storage access, phone app streaming, and synced notifications require an Android 17 phone. Because of this, some Googlebook owners may not be able to take full advantage of the laptop and handset integration.
The problem is that Android 17 is still relatively new, so not all Android phones have it yet. Google’s Pixel phones are usually the first to receive new Android versions, while Samsung has started rolling out the Android 17-based One UI 9 update to its latest foldable and some previous flagship phones.
Other manufacturers including Xiaomi, Motorola, and OnePlus have also started limited rollouts of Android 17. But plenty of older and mid-range phones are still waiting for you, while some new devices will even be released with Android 16.
This means your Google Book can be ready to share files, mirror apps, and sync notifications while your phone simply isn’t.
The app’s streaming feature also has its limitations. Apps with DRM-protected video or sensitive content, such as banking apps, will not be streamed to Googlebook, according to Google. Instead, you’ll see a “privacy screen” when you try to access them from your laptop. This isn’t particularly surprising given the similar restrictions on Samsung DeX and other screen mirroring systems.
Still, the Android 17 requirement is worth knowing before you buy a Googlebook. One of the platform’s biggest selling points is how closely it works with your Android phone, but that experience currently depends on relatively fresh software.
If you’re using an older or mid-range Android device, you might end up with a Google Book that can do a lot more than your phone can handle. Google hasn’t indicated that these cross-device features will extend to older Android versions, so for now Android 17 is the ticket for the full experience.
