OnePlus on Thursday announced that the Android 11 Developer Preview is now available for the OnePlus 8 series of smartphones, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. The company said that the Android 11 build is intended for developers and other advanced users, as the operating system is still in the early stages of development. Google announced the Android 11 Beta for Pixel phones on Wednesday following months of its own Developer Preview program. Android 11 includes several new features but Google has put a significant focus on notifications, a new power menu and privacy options.
OnePlus 8 Android Developer Preview Has Multiple Known Issues
OnePlus said that the company does not recommend users to flash the ROM if their phone is being used as a daily driver. Further, the company said that the users who do not have prior experience in software development or flashing of ROMs should also avoid installing the Android 11 developer build.
“As the name suggests, this build of Android 11 is best suited for developers and other advanced users, as it is still in an early stage of development,” OnePlus said in a release. “By providing access to Android 11 at an early stage, we enable app developers and other early adopters in our community to start creating even better software experiences.”
The company said that its Android 11 Developer Preview would cause multiple issues including certain apps being less functional. Crucially, video calling and Google Assistant are also slated as features not functional on the OnePlus Android 11 Developer Preview. Additionally, the company said that users should expect system stability issues and that certain UI screens would "look less than desirable.”
OnePlus said the data on the users device will be wiped out and that there is a risk of the devices being bricked.
However, the company has provided detailed instructions for the users who are willing to download the update. The company has setup a dedicated webpage for the OnePlus Android 11 Developer Preview where users can download the package to their system and eventually to phone storage. Once the package is loaded onto the mobile phones, users can head to system updates on the settings menu and follow the instructions on the “Local upgrade” menu option.
OnePlus Beats Oppo and Xiaomi on the Android 11 Race
Following Google’s announcement on Wednesday, Oppo and Xiaomi announced that the Android 11 beta would be arriving on their respective flagship series shortly. While Oppo is expected to provide the update in late June, Xiaomi has not issued a specific timeline for the same.
The Mi 10 series including the standard Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro and Poco F2 Pro are the devices under Xiaomi that are scheduled to “soon” receive the update.
Meanwhile, Realme on Friday announced that the Realme X50 Pro would be the first Realme device to be eligible for Android 11 beta. However, the company has not provided a timeline for the availability of the update.
