Google has announced a major change to its Android pre-release program. Instead of the existing Developer Preview program, the company is now introducing the new Android Canary release channel.
This channel is intended to give developers earlier and more consistent access to features that are still in development. Whereas Developer Previews were mainly available at the beginning of a new release cycle, the new model is designed for continuous access and feedback opportunities.
According to Google, the previous model fell short because Developer Previews were not linked to a fixed release channel. In addition, manual flashing was required each time a new cycle began. The preview process also stopped as soon as an Android version reached the beta phase. This created a period during which new features that were not yet ready for beta did not have an official feedback channel.
With the introduction of the Canary channel, Google aims to address this issue. Developers can flash their supported Pixel device to this channel via the Android Flash Tool. They will then receive automatic OTA updates with the latest test versions of Android. Those who wish to leave the channel will have to flash back to a public or beta build, resulting in a complete data reset.
Explore new features early
The Canary channel makes it possible to explore planned behavior changes and new functionality at an early stage. These innovations are not necessarily intended to end up in a stable release. The channel will continue to exist alongside the existing beta program, which focuses more on more stable features that are released in the short term. Developers can also use Canary builds in their CI processes to detect compatibility issues with their apps early on.
Google emphasizes that the Canary channel is intended for developers who want to work with new APIs and potential changes as quickly as possible. The versions have undergone automated testing and brief internal testing, but may contain bugs and significant changes. This makes them unsuitable for daily use on a primary device.