What you need to know
- Google has dropped Android 11 Beta 3, the final beta update.
- This is yet another stabilizing update, with most changes being under the hood.
- Android 11 is expected to release next month, on September 8.
Google has announced the final Android 11 beta, due for release today. There isn't much new here, it's all under the hood stuff like with last month's update. While that one was focused on bringing platform stability, this release finalizes just about everything else for developers. Google is also releasing the official API 30 SDK, so developers can now start building app updates towards the release of the next big update, confident that everything will work as expected at launch.
There is one small change here, and that is regarding how COVID-19 exposure notification apps work. Now, those apps will be able to work without using the location access permission. Google says that its because apps built on the Exposure Notification System "can't infer device location through Bluetooth scanning", though Google says other non-exposure notification apps will still be restricted from working like this.
Android 11 can be expected to be announced on September 8. As a reminder, Android 11 can currently be downloaded on Pixel phones and select other third-party Android OEM phones. The newly launched Pixel 4a won't be eligible for beta updates yet, but Google will be adding support for the 4a sooner rather than later.
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