Google might bring the Android Q beta to several more smartphones this year

tech2 News StaffMar 11, 2019 09:33:36 IST

As usual, work on Google's next major Android update is well underway even as the bulk of smartphones await Android Pie. In fact, we're expecting to see Android Q at Google I/O 2019, which will take place on 7 May.

Last year, during the same, annual I/O developer conference Google had made the announcement that the Android Pie beta version would be made available to devices from manufacturers like Essential, Nokia, OnePlus, Oppo, Sony, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Earlier, beta and early updates were limited to Google's Pixel and Nexus devices.

Android Pie.

Project Treble, a program that separates Android's core from superficial features added by vendors to ease the update process, has apparently made this possible. The aim  of the project is to reduce Android fragmentation and to get more phones on the latest version as fast as possible.

Earlier the versions were only made available on Google's own Nexus and Pixel devices.

As per a report in Android Police, Iliyan Malchev from Google's Project Treble team revealed in episode 110 of the Android Developers Backstage podcast that "the number [of companies] participating in the beta is bigger for the upcoming Android release."

Malchev did not reveal the names of the companies that might be added or even how many of them would be added, but the number is expected to be higher than the seven companies from the Android Pie beta testing.

As per TechRadar, Samsung, HTC, LG and Huawei could be the ones hopping aboard the Android Q beta train.

The Android Q beta program is expected to be Pixel-exclusive for a couple of months after which it might roll out to other smartphone manufacturers.

As per a previous report, folks at XDA Developers seem to have managed to test an early version of the next major Android OS. The report shares a glimpse of some of the significant features that Google might be planning for Android Q.