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History sharing could make WhatsApp group chats less confusing for new members
The feature is currently in development in the latest beta build on Google Play
WhatsApp has been on a roll lately — from debuting WhatsApp Channels in more countries to finally adding support for multi-account switching, it’s been a nice couple of months for anyone lucky enough to have been accepted into the beta program that’s at capacity. Users that have connected to a Channel may have noticed that, when joining, tons of messages are already visible due to a history sharing feature that’s been introduced to Channels. The latest beta version of WhatsApp now shows that a similar feature for group chat admins is in development.
Android 11 tweaks the screenshot Markup interface and adds a delete button
A small thing that could make a big difference in usability
Google introduced a native screenshot editing interface back in Android 9. Dubbed Markup, it provided a quick and easy way to edit screenshots prior to sharing or saving. And while it worked just fine, there was one tiny oversight: you couldn't delete a screenshot from the Markup editor itself. With the upcoming release of Android 11, it looks like Google is adding that delete option.
There have already been several Developer Previews of Android 11, and Google planned to release the first beta-quality build during an online 'Beta Launch Show' on June 3rd. That event was cancelled last week, due to widespread protests in the United States, but that hasn't stopped Google from rolling out the first Android 11 Beta to some Pixel owners — perhaps unintentionally.
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- Huawei told AndroidWorld.nl that this update was an internal test software that was rolled out inadvertently. It's not an official beta or release.
Android 10 has been steadily finding its way into OEM handsets since launching in September. This past weekend, Huawei decided to get a jumpstart on its own Android 10 beta release schedule by showing some love to the Netherlandic variant of the Mate 20 Pro.
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Like last year, Google is working with smartphone makers to expand access to the latest Android beta. So, you won't need one of Google's Pixel devices to get a look at Android Q Beta 3. Google is working with 12 OEMs to support a whopping 21 phones on the Android Q Beta.
Beta registration for Android Q is going live as we speak. Some have already been able to register their devices and receive OTAs, while others are still seeing the old landing page. Either way, if mucking about in ADB or unlocking your bootloader doesn't appeal to you, this method is a bit easier.
After a bit of hand-wringing (sorry about that) Android Q is finally, actually here. This latest version may still lack a formal, dessert-themed name, but it's now available for all Pixel phones — including the nearly three-year-old 2016 Pixel and Pixel XL. Both factory images and sideloadable OTAs are live.
At last year's I/O, Google surprised many of us by announcing that the Android P beta would not only be available on the Pixel line-up, but also on select devices from other manufacturers. Project Treble played a huge role in making that possible, and things are going to be even better this year: more companies will be part of the Q beta than P.
Every Google+ community is looking for a new home, and that's the case for the Android Beta group, which was previously hosted on Google+ with over 163000 members. The moderators are now packing up their things, taking the paintings off the walls, labelling all boxes, renting a big truck, and inviting all their friends to help them move to Reddit with the lure of free pizza*. (*free pizza is fictional.)
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Back in March, Google put forward a schedule for Android P developer previews which implied we'd be seeing DP3/P Beta 2 landing in early June. That target seems to have been accurate, as factory and OTA images for DP3 have just been posted, though the OTA doesn't seem to be rolling out in the more traditional sense just yet.
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Google's Android beta program allows the more intrepid among you to take a first crack at new updates, but it can be a little irksome to then move to the final build. For example, the 7.1.2 testers are still running the beta while the final version has rolled out to non-testers. Now, it looks like Google has started updating the beta build to final, but only for the Nexus 6P so far.
Google has just announced Android 7.1.2, a maintenance release focused on fixing bugs and improving performance. The initial devices eligible for the update are the Nexus 5X, Nexus Player, Pixel C, and both Pixel phone models. The Nexus 6P will be eligible, but not yet, with Google saying they expect the 7.1.2 beta will be "released soon."
There was a great deal of consternation earlier this month when it was revealed the Pixel phones would ship with Android 7.1, but Nexus phones were going to lag behind. Today, there's a little less reason to be upset with the announcement of the Android 7.1 developer preview. It's coming later this month, but not to all the same devices we saw in the last preview.
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We knew Google was going to be pushing out OTA updates to the Android N developer preview this year, but I don't think anyone was expecting it to happen quite so fast. The first update is rolling out to devices now, and factory images have been updated for those of you planning to do it the old fashioned way.
Many of you were a little overexcited when the Android N developer preview appeared the other day and instantly flashed it on your device. If so, you may have been dismayed to learn that doing so apparently prevented you from getting OTA updates in the new beta program. At least, that's how things looked at the time—it said so right on the download page. We reached out to Google to confirm that, and it turns out that warning wasn't worded quite right. You can still get OTAs after flashing the system image.
It took a couple of hours, but the Android Beta page is finally live. There, you'll be able to sign up for the Android Beta Program and enroll any or all of your eligible devices. Currently, these include the Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, and the Pixel C, though it's been hinted that some other Android One phones like the General Mobile GM Plus 5 may also join the program somewhere down the line.
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- There's a note on the Android N Preview downloads page warning users that flashing the system image will prevent their device from receiving OTA updates. We're not sure if it was added after the Android Beta page went up or if we just didn't notice it before, but whatever the case, it's certainly there now.
Patience is a virtue, and it's one that Google seems to value greatly. Just a few hours ago, Google released the preview images for Android N with the promise that future updates would come over-the-air through its new Android Beta program, but they forgot to mention that it didn't apply to anyone who manually flashed the images.