Is this beta for regular users?

No — Android 17 Beta 3 is for developers only. Installed to test apps rather than for daily use. Potential stability issues may affect regular user experience.

Do 7 years of updates for Magic8 Pro mean until Android 23?

HONOR has committed to seven years of Android updates for the device. Yes — this means updating to approximately Android 23. Starting early with Android 17 Beta signals HONOR's seriousness in fulfilling this commitment.

What are the practical advantages of RAW14?

RAW14 gives photographers 14-bit uncompressed image data — double the color accuracy compared to standard RAW10. This enables professional editing with greater shadow and highlight flexibility in apps like Lightroom and Capture One.

Is Magic8 Pro available in the Middle East?

HONOR has a presence in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Magic8 Pro launched globally — the stable Android 17 release will reach the Middle East with the global update wave in September.

Honor Magic8 Pro Joins Android 17 Beta 3 Program — Among First Non-Pixel Phones With System-Wide Bubbles, RAW14, Enhanced Privacy and 7-Year Update CommitmentHonor Magic8 Pro Joins Android 17 Beta 3 Program — Among First Non-Pixel Phones With System-Wide Bubbles, RAW14, Enhanced Privacy and 7-Year Update Commitment

Magic8 Pro Leads the Android 17 Race Among Non-Pixel Phones

HONOR today announced that the HONOR Magic8 Pro will be among the first in the industry to support Android 17 Beta 3, allowing developers to test out new features, refine application compatibility, and seamlessly integrate their apps working with HONOR's flagship device.

HONOR has a pattern of jumping into Android betas early. The Magic7 Pro was among the first non-Pixel phones to support Android 16 Beta 3 last year. Now the company is back at it.

Installation Requirements

Honor noted that the Magic8 Pro must be running software version 10.0.0.162 (C636E4R105P2H2) or later in order to install the Android 17 Beta 3 update.

Android 17 Beta 3 Key Features

System-Wide Bubbles — New Multitasking: Multitasking receives a significant upgrade through Bubbles, now expanded across the system. Developers can now optimize any app to run in a floating window. Apps can be minimized to a floating icon and accessed from anywhere on the screen.

RAW14 Support for Professional Photography: Android 17 Beta 3 introduces native support for the RAW14 image format — the de facto industry standard for high-end digital photography. This single-channel, 14-bit-per-pixel format enables applications to handle densely packed, uncompressed image data. Third-party camera and editing applications can now fully leverage the HONOR Magic8 Pro's advanced computational optics and sensors.

Enhanced Privacy and Security: A new system-provided Location Button allows apps to request precise location access strictly for the current session, reducing unnecessary background tracking. The update blocks local network access by default and enforces read-only dynamic code loading to mitigate injection attacks.

UI Customization: Android 17 Beta 3 introduces deeper UI customization options — including modifying the Photo Picker grid view aspect ratio from a standard 1:1 square to a 9:16 portrait display.

Broader Context — HONOR, OnePlus and OPPO in the Same Race

OnePlus and OPPO recently announced Android 17 Beta 3 updates for OnePlus 15 and OPPO Find X9 Pro. HONOR now joins this race with Magic8 Pro.

When Is the Stable Release?

The stable public release is expected to roll out in September. Google released Android 17 Beta 3 in late March, followed by the first QPR1 beta update late last month.