It's that time of the year when developers and advanced users look forward to the beta builds of Google's latest Android release. After Android Pie, Google is going to release Android Q later this year, but traditionally grants early access to some users through its beta developer previews. This year, Google has some new plans that will certainly make a lot of people in the Android ecosystem extremely happy.
Google originally limited Android beta releases to its Pixel and Nexus smartphones, which would make it mandatory for developers to own one of Google's own smartphones to test out the new OS before its full release. However, last year things changed when Google allowed non-Pixel phones to its beta programme.
For Android Pie beta programme, brands like Essential, Nokia, OnePlus, Oppo, Sony, Vivo and Xiaomi were chosen and their select phones were a part of the early beta tests of unreleased Android P at the time. According to Iliyan Malchev, a Google employee who is working on Project Treble, Google is going to allow more brands to get compatible smartphones on the Android Q beta programme.
It's not clear yet on which other brands and smartphones will be allowed on the Android Q beta programme, more details will be revealed in May at Google's I/O 2019 conference, where Google traditionally showcases beta developer previews of its upcoming flagship Android update.
According to XDA Developer's Mishaal Rahman, who found a bug tracker for Android Q Beta, Google's Android Q Beta Issue Tracker has a default date filter of March 11. This means reports from the general public made after the said date will be listed and also confirms the imminent announcement of Android Q Beta.
Since there was no word on March 11 or even 12, Android Police is reporting that the Android Q Beta releases on Wednesday, March 13. Mark your calendars if you wish to test the early builds of the unreleased OS.
But it's also worth noting that early beta releases are extremely unstable and it is advised against flashing it on primary devices. Interested folks can side-load the beta version of Android Q upon release on their secondary devices. But if you hate to risk dealing with a malfunctioning device, stay put till May this year or end of the year when fully stable Android Q rolls out.
Until then, you can keep guessing what Google will call its new Android version. We'll get you started with our best guess, which is Quesito. Not many options out there, so you can throw your guess.
