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Android O enters Beta Program with Developer Preview 2, adds Notification Dots, Autofill

With I/O 2017 underway, Google has released the second developer preview of Android O. An “incremental update” from the initial release in March, the next version of Android is now officially in beta. With this added stability, Pixel and Nexus owners can now sign-up for the Android Beta Program.

Google has dubbed useful, convenient features as Fluid Experiences. These include Picture-in-picture, Notification Dots, Autofill with Google, and Smart Text Selection.

In this release, Google has further tweaked the notifications experience with Notification Dots. Users can now view notifications by long pressing an app’s respective icon.

Meanwhile, Vitals has a focus on increasing battery life and securing devices from various threats.

To sign-up for the Android Beta Program, first enroll a compatible Pixel or Nexus device and wait for the OTA update notification.

If you were previously enrolled in the Android N Beta Program, you must enroll again to receive Android O. You may remain in the Android Beta Program beyond the initial O release to preview future Android O maintenance releases (MRs). If you choose to do so, you will automatically get an OTA update to pre-release versions of the MRs as they become available. At the end of the program, you will begin to receive regular public updates.

Factory images for build OPP2.170420.017 can be flashed immediately for those who don’t want to wait for the Beta Program’s OTA. If you need help, check out our guides on how to flash a factory image or sideload an OTA.


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com