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Writing software is difficult, especially when it’s something as complex as a mobile phone operating system. If you take millions of lines of generic code and try to wrap it up into code designed for a specific group of phones, a lot of things can go wrong. That’s exactly what’s happening when you see companies offering beta versions of the next big software update for their phones, much like Google is doing with Android 15.
Google has a lot of work to do with Android, and they need to build a solid foundation that works as intended (or close to it). At first, it seems like it doesn’t work as intended. Case in point: the first public version of Android 15 was so broken that the company removed the update image and users who wanted to try it had to install it manually.
When a new version enters initial testing, there are always some issues. You might wonder why Google would do something like this when things are historically bad. Interestingly, this is the correct method, bugs and all.
It’s better to stay away
You’ve probably read this a thousand times. You shouldn’t install Android beta on a phone you plan to use every day. If you go to any Android or technology website, they will tell you the same thing. I end up doing it, but I’ve been saying it for years.
Even Google doesn’t think it’s necessary to install anything, especially the first preview version, before it gets the beta name. Everything you’ve read tells you about the potential problems that can occur and the lack of support provided if you run into problems.
It’s great to try out new things before rolling them out to everyone, but that’s best left to people with second phones, or the target audience: Android developers.
A big part of why beta programs are so important is to let developers try out what Google is working on before it takes shape.
developer, developer, developer
Google enjoys having so many attention spans and so many users seeing their ads, providing data that helps them sell ads. But Google is more focused on developers helping Android become a whole ecosystem full of services and apps that we, the users, want to use. Without these developers, there would be none of us.
Google needs to work with them so everything they plan on doing with new versions of Android will be developer-friendly. This means that creating an app that uses new features or doesn’t violate new rules is not that difficult, and updating older apps is a simple process.
Publishing test builds of new versions for developers to try and provide feedback is an important part of the process. Google may be able to think of something new, but developers can try it out and see what impact it has. You can then tell Google what you like, what you don’t like, and what doesn’t work.
Google listens to this feedback. You have to do that if you want to keep developers happy. The version of Android will eventually reach a stage where the internal structure changes are complete. If you want Google to buy you an Android phone the next time you need a new one, it’s important to start the process as soon as possible.
It’s important to remember that some developers are involved in the process before an update is made available for testing, such as Samsung’s software team and the people behind Spotify, for example. It’s equally important to recognize that small teams and individual app developers don’t have the same needs as a company like Samsung. Both large and small developer groups are important.
The only way to get this kind of insight is to remove preview builds as soon as possible.
Google needs us to test it too
You already know that you shouldn’t mess with Android beta versions (especially pre-beta development previews) on your phone. But Google knows some people will do it anyway. Some people do it on their cell phones, which they rely on as their daily driver. Users who gamble in this way are also very important.
In the first preview of Android 15, OTA (over-the-air) image updates were pulled because they were completely broken, leaving too many users with a message that their phone was “corrupt” when they tried to install the update. was displayed. Because builds and updates are pulled frequently, many participants may be needed to find these bugs.
Updating your phone’s software is complicated and there are many possibilities for problems. These may send large files, so you’ll need free space on your phone to do this. Problems arise because there are so many moving parts. If more than a few users are experiencing the same issue, it’s important to investigate what’s going on.
The only way to do this is to have a large enough data pool. If a bug affects everyone, it’s much easier to diagnose and fix than a bug that only affects some people. If Google is going to solve a problem, it’s important that enough users encounter it. The best way to get more users with a problem is to have more users in the first place.
Not just Google
Developer preview and beta programs are important for any large software project, not just Google’s Pixel version of Android. That’s why Samsung has the One UI testing program and Microsoft has insiders. Even Apple likes to send out buggy test builds to people who want to try it out.
However, the Android beta is especially important to Google. Because Google is developing two versions of his Android: the software that runs on his Pixel smartphones, and the base Android that everyone uses.that base have Becoming great. It is stable and has almost no bugs. This is much more important to Google as a company than his Pixel software, but sending the software to willing participants who use Pixels is a good way to test both versions.
Android 15 will officially become beta software in April, but even then it will still be quite buggy. It’s important that developers test how new features are implemented, as well as keep a close eye on these bugs. The Android beta program may be a hassle, but it’s actually the best way to go.
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