Google released the first Android 11 beta in June 2020. We’ve been digging into that release for about a month, and going hands-on with all the new features. Early July saw the release of the second Android 11 beta, and now the company is launching the third and final Android 11 beta before the full release.
Since we’re nearing the final Android 11 release date, there’s a lot to dig into with these early builds. However, they’re still not 100% meant for everyone, so you may run into bugs and performance issues if you choose to install them on your Pixel phone.
You’re probably wondering when the official, consumer-ready Android 11 release date is happening. Google has outlined the four developer previews and three Android 11 beta builds that it expects to release over the coming months. Check out the details below:
- Developer preview 1: Early baseline build focused on developer feedback, with new features, APIs, and behavior changes.
- Launched: February 19, 2020
- Developer preview 1.1: Early maintenance update with bug fixes and performance improvements based on feedback thus far.
- Launched: March 4, 2020
- Developer preview 2: Incremental update with additional features, APIs, and behavior changes.
- Launched: March 18, 2020
- Developer preview 2.1: Early maintenance update with bug fixes and performance improvements based on feedback thus far.
- Launched: April 2, 2020
- Developer preview 3: Incremental update for stability and performance.
- Launched: April 23, 2020
- Developer preview 4: Incremental update for stability and performance.
- Launched: May 6, 2020
- Beta 1: Initial beta-quality release, over-the-air update to early adopters who enroll in Android Beta. Play publishing opens.
- Launched: June 10, 2020
- Beta 1.5: Early maintenance update with bug fixes and performance improvements based on feedback thus far.
- Launched: June 17, 2020
- Beta 2: Platform Stability milestone. Final APIs and behaviors.
- Launched: July 8, 2020
- Beta 2.5: Early maintenance update with bug fixes and performance improvements based on feedback thus far.
- Launched: July 22, 2020
- Beta 3: Release candidate build.
- Launched: August 6, 2020
- Final release: Android 11 release to AOSP and ecosystem.
- Expected launch date: September 8, 2020
If you aren’t a developer and don’t want to install the full preview on your device using your computer, we’ve got some good news. The more stable Android 11 beta 3 is finally here, and it’s incredibly easy to install. Head here and enroll in the Android Beta Program if you have a Pixel 2-4, and you’ll receive an OTA update soon afterwards. Or, you can use Google’s handy new Android Flash Tool on the web to sideload it from your computer.
What about the official, consumer-ready Android 11 release date? Google may have accidentally leaked the official Android 11 release date in its Smart Home Summit video on YouTube. According to a Google exec, we can expect the Android 11 release date to be September 8, 2020.
Google later reached out to Android Authority to claim that this rumored launch date was an error, and that the official release date has yet to be finalized. However, this rumored date fits in with Google’s projected timeline for its Android 11 releases.
Google has provided a rough Android 11 release date timeline:
