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Google's Pixel 4a just picked up their first OTA and factory images, but that's not the only thing they're getting today. Google is also making them eligible for the Android 11 Beta Program, and lucky owners can opt-in for the latest beta release, expected to be the last before stable lands, barring any last-minute bug-fixes, which Google likes to do now.
OnePlus testing Nord in America with super-exclusive beta program
Not all the recipients will get to keep the phone
The OnePlus Nord was finally revealed earlier today after months of leaks and rumors, and as expected, it won't be sold in the United States at all. However, if you're in the US or Canada, you could get a Nord through the company's new Beta Program.
This is how to get the Android 11 Beta on your Pixel phone
Now that Developer Previews are over, it's much easier
The Android 11 Beta is now official, and the era of Developer Previews are over. While Android 11 isn't "done," the switch to betas is a sort of milestone for stability as we approach a final release. There are still risks, but Google's transition to a beta branding means you probably shouldn't run into any serious deal-breaking bugs — though there's still some risk. Part of this change also means you don't need to manually install Android 11 via ADB, like you had to with prior Developer Preview releases. In fact, getting it on your Pixel phone is a snap, and here's how to do it.
OnePlus 5 and 5T get Open Beta 3 on the path to stable Android 10
With a slew of fixes and optimizations
OnePlus has been working on a stable Android 10 release for the OnePlus 5 and 5T for some time now, and the company had already rolled out two Open Beta previews. Now with the third build, OnePlus is shipping fixes to some pesky bugs introduced in previous releases, along with other optimizations.
The OnePlus 5 and 5T get their first Android 10 Open Betas
Right on track with their rollout schedule
OnePlus’s entire lineup of phones released in the last couple of years is now running Android 10 with an updated version of OxygenOS. With that job done, the company is now shifting its focus to the previous-gen 5-series phones. Within days of halting the Open Betas for the OnePlus 6 and 6T for good, the company has opened the program for the OnePlus 5 and 5T, keeping up with its original release plan for the two 2017 flagships.
OnePlus fans impatiently waiting for Google's brand-new version of Android are a step closer to their goal. The company has just pushed out the second pair of Open Betas for Android 10 to the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro, including a ton of fixes for issues introduced the last Android 10 beta.
Although it isn't quite as on-the-ball as Essential, OnePlus is also pushing out Android 10 to the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7, but only in its Open Beta program. The update apparently isn't ready for prime time just yet, though early adopter types that weren't willing to rough the previous Android Q Developer Previews for OnePlus' phones can check it out.
Fans of testing out buggy or unstable versions of Google apps, which would be most of our readers here at Android Police, will be excited to hear that Google is rolling out a testing program for the Messages app (née Android Messages). As with other beta testing programs, all you need to do is opt in, and you'll be among those who get to check out new features and bugs early.
Over the weekend, an update to the Google app beta accidentally broke weather for the At A Glance Widget, affecting Pixel owners, some third-party launcher users, and anyone who manually added the widget since that became an option. Thankfully, an update (v9.0.4) which is rolling out today fixes the problem.
If you've noticed that the so-called At A Glance widget — a stock part of the Pixel experience that's also available as a standalone widget and built into some third-party launchers — has been missing the weather for the last few days, you aren't alone. It turns out a major version beta update to the Google app is responsible for the loss in functionality — though only those who sideloaded the update or are in the beta testing program should be affected.
After months of rumors, leaks, and even a good look at the interface to come, Samsung's TouchWiz One UI has now launched with the Android 9 Pie beta program. It appears to be live only in the company's home country, South Korea, for now, with Germany and the US still having to wait a little longer.
Getting updated to the latest version of Android as quickly as possible is something a lot of users care about, with good reason, but it tends to be a bit of a lottery depending on which device you own. Samsung is usually one of the better OEMs for updates, and it looks like its Android 9 Pie beta program is going to launch imminently.
Read update
- The new look and improved navigation are now hitting the stable version of Goodreads. You can read all about it in this official announcement post and grab the app from the widget below.
If you're a voracious reader (as many of us here at AP are), then you're probably familiar with Goodreads, which is an Amazon-owned and Kindle-integrated platform for tracking books you've read and discovering new ones. Fans of the service will be glad to hear that Goodreads has a beta program on the Play Store for testing out the upcoming redesign of its app.
The Google Phone app has been updated fairly frequently as of late. In December, assisted dialing was added, and floating chat heads arrived in February. Now the company has opened a testing program on the Play Store, so you can try out in-development features before they arrive for everyone.
A new version started rolling out to the Play Store on the web last month and the reception has been decidedly mixed. Screenshots are now viewable in a lightbox, meaning they're larger, but scrolling can be slow and you can't use the arrows on your keyboard to cycle through them. Oh, and getting out of the lightbox did mean finding the tiny arrow in the top left rather than just clicking outside of the image, although that appears to have been fixed already.
Two weeks ago, the creator of Tasker announced he was transferring ownership and development of the app to joaomgcd (Crafty Apps EU), creator of Join and AutoApps. The new developer has now made his first change to the beloved app - betas are now available on the Google Play Store.
Read update
- The app is now available as an open beta. If you didn't get into the early access program before, you can now download it normally from the Play Store.
A ton of devices these days have built-in 'cleaners,' and it looks like Google has been developing its own. It's called Files Go, and judging from the screenshots and the description, it does a lot of the things that phones like the Galaxy S8 have within the system. The beta program is currently closed, but we've got the APK.
In our post about Google pulling the Android 8.1 developer preview OTAs, many of you mentioned that you were also having trouble downloading the OTA from the Android Beta Program. Since the OTA downloads for sideloading had been pulled, that was the only way to move to 8.1 without an unlocked bootloader. Well, those problems should now be resolved.
Now that Android 8.0 Oreo is out of beta and making its way onto devices in earnest, the Wear team is taking a turn with its own preliminary firmware update. Starting today, Google's Beta Program page is now distributing an early version of the next release of Android Wear. However, if you were looking forward to a lot of new features, you might be disappointed to hear that this is being referred to as a "technical upgrade to API 26" – mostly an update to the underlying infrastructure. On top of that, only one watch qualifies for betas at this time: The LG Watch Sport.
Read update
- HTC has officially announced the new features in a blog post. The company said that the Edge Sense beta, "is an opt-in program that will continue to grow as we look to perfect this experience." HTC also uploaded a video showing off the new features:
The U11, HTC's second flagship phone of 2017, stands out from the crowd with its squeezable frame. The phone's software can perform custom actions based on how intensely you squeeze the phone - something that this year's Pixels might get too. Now the company is testing a beta update for the Edge Sense app, allowing users to set their own custom actions.