Android 11 Beta 1.5 Squashes Some Showstopping Bugs

A beta release, though closer to the final version, doesn't mean it's bug-free. In fact, it's actually more of a call for developers and adventurous users to put the software through the wringer to uncover those bugs before it finally lands in the wider public's hands. Unfortunately, some nasty bugs do manage to sneak in from time to time, like some rather serious that have discouraged some users from even trying out the first beta for this year's Android 11 release.

The beta release tells developers, testers, and users that Android 11's features are more or less set into stone and that the bug hunting can begin en masse. As the very first adopters of Android 11 Beta 1 found out, there were quite a few of those lying in wait. And these aren't small bugs, even.

One, for example, simply crashed and rebooted the phone when trying to switch apps using the gesture navigation while also rotating the phone at the same time. It might sound like an odd and rare occurrence but a crash is a crash and has to be fixed regardless. Another bug that has a wider effect prevents Google Pay contactless payments. That alone may have prevented even some developers from jumping in, considering how vital Google Pay may have become for them.

Fortunately, Google has now released a small update to Android 11 Beta 1, aptly called Android 11 Beta 1.5, to quickly address those issues. The release notes, however, do indicate that reported Android Auto issues still remain but fixes might be coming sooner or later.

To some extent, Android 11 feels more like an incremental improvement rather than a radical upgrade, polishing areas like security and privacy while also adapting to new mobile trends, specifically foldables. A pervading theme seems to be on making things more convenient for users by putting more power under the fingertips, though, like with the new power button menu, some things may have gone overboard in the process.