With the launch of Android 11 approaching, Google today launched the third and latest beta version of its mobile operating system before its general availability. Google had previously delayed the beta program by about a month due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since Android 11 had already achieved platform stability with Beta 2, most of the changes here are fixes and optimizations. As a Google spokesman noted, "this beta focuses on helping developers get the finishing touches on their apps as they prepare android 11, including the official API 30 SDK and authoring tools for android Study."
The only exception are some updates to the Exposure Notification System's Contact Tracking API, which users can now use without activating the device's location settings. Exposure notification is an exception here, as all other Android apps must have location settings on (and user permission to access them) to perform the type of Bluetooth scan that Google is using for this API.
Otherwise, there are no surprises here, given that this has already been a rather long preview cycle. Mainly, Google really wants developers to make sure their apps are ready for the new version, which includes some changes.
If you are brave enough, you can get the latest beta over the air as part of the Android Beta program. It is available for Pixel 2, 3, 3a, 4 and (soon) 4a users.
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