Google is taking a different approach in 2018. The technology giant has released the beta edition of the upcoming version of Android — which puts artificial intelligence at the core of the operating system — to smartphones other than its own Pixel series devices.
Last year, only the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Nexus Player were eligible for the Android O Beta Program. This year, besides the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL, these third-party devices will also get a taste of Android P beta, lucky them:
- Essential Phone
- Nokia 7 Plus
- OPPO R15 Pro (or Dream Mirror)
- Sony Xperia XZ2
- Vivo X21
- Vivo X21 UD
- Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
- OnePlus 6 (not available on the market yet)
And this is thanks to Google’s Project Treble, which goal — to put it simply — is to dramatically speed up the Android-update process.
Enrolling in the Android P Beta Program
Is your device eligible for the program? Yes? Good. Before you do anything, make sure to back up your smartphone first. Take note that the current Android 9.0 software is a pre-release version, so you might encounter errors that will affect the performance of your unit.
Once you’re done with that, you may follow these steps:
- Go to the Android Beta Program page. Remember to sign in with the Google account that you use on your Android device.
- You should see your phone under Your Eligible Devices. Click on the Enroll Device button, and you’ll get an update notification shortly after.
- Install the update. Your handset will then receive regular over-the-air updates to the latest Android P builds until the final release.
For links to each smartphone manufacturer’s site for support, swing by this page. If you want to see what Android P’s new features are first, visit this page.
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