What you need to know
- Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1 is now available for all users enrolled in the Android beta program.
- The Pixel 5a through 7 Pro can download it now, but Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will need to wait a while before it'll be available.
- Android Quarterly Platform Releases deliver updates for AOSP devices and are used to build Pixel Feature Drops.
Owning a Google Pixel phone has a lot of perks, but the best one might just be the ability to get the latest version of Android the moment it's available. Android 14's second Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) is now available for users enrolled in the Android beta program, but it's not available for all Pixel devices at this time.
According to Google's release notes, the latest beta is now available for the Google Pixel 5a, 6a, and 7a, as well as the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 7, and 7 Pro. Owners of the Pixel Tablet can also give the latest version of Android a try if they enroll in the Android 14 beta program.
Google didn't specify when the beta would be available for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro but assures beta users that it'll be "soon." We're expecting a Pixel Feature Drop based on the Android 14 QPR1 release over the next few weeks, while this newer Android 14 QPR2 build will go on to be used for the first Pixel Feature Drop of 2024, likely around March.
As for the release notes, this is a pretty tame release but paves the way for exciting new features as part of Google's quarterly Pixel Feature Drop program. Google says it:
- Fixed an issue that caused the package manager to crash when installing some apps. (Issue #303849830)
- Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented users from submitting feedback using the Android Beta Feedback app. (Issue #307592531)
- Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented a device from connecting to a 5G network when it was available. (Issue #306294357)
Users who download the latest beta can report problems using the reporting tool built into Android. Alternatively, you can search the known issues tracker to see if anyone else is experiencing the same problem you might have run across.
Future Pixel Feature Drops are expected to deliver several new features that were announced for the Pixel 8 series but didn't make their way onto the phone in time for launch. That list includes Night Sight Video, Zoom Enhance, Video Boost, and maybe even the updated Google Assistant with Bard integration, but we're still not sure exactly when Google is planning on delivering these.
This year, get a phone that doesn't just get the latest Android updates. It's also promised to get updates for the next 7 years, ensuring that your phone never feels out of date so long as you own it.
