Google Introduces Android 17 Handoff Feature: Seamless Continuity Across Devices

Google has unveiled a convenient new feature for Android 17 that functions similarly to Apple’s Handoff, allowing users to seamlessly pick up tasks across multiple Android devices.

As outlined on Google’s Android Developer website, Continue On enables users to initiate a task on one device and seamlessly continue it on another device as long as they are both connected to the same Google account.

For example, you could be browsing a website in Chrome on your Google Pixel 10 running Android 17, then switch to your Pixel Tablet and notice a Handoff Suggestion on the tablet’s taskbar. By tapping the icon, you can instantly resume your browsing session on the tablet.

The same smooth transition between devices is demonstrated in Google Docs, showcasing the potential productivity enhancement that the Continue On feature brings.

Continue On the web

Although designed to function between the same apps installed on both devices, the new Continue On feature can also work with web interfaces.

For instance, if you are viewing an email in the Gmail app on your Android phone, tapping the Continue On prompt on your tablet will redirect you to the web version of Gmail, maintaining the continuity of the email thread.

Even when transitioning from an app to a web app, the same email content is seamlessly accessible.

Google highlights that this functionality can serve as a helpful alternative for situations where the same app is not available on both devices.

It’s about time, as Apple introduced Handoff back in 2014, enabling task synchronization between iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, becoming a prominent feature for iPhone and Mac users.

Google has been working on a similar feature since last June when hints of an ‘App Cast’ function surfaced in Google Play Services. Android 17 is anticipated to bring Google’s version of Handoff, among other enhancements, in June or July.