Android 11 Developer Preview 4 Carries A Stern Warning For Testers

Google officially delayed its almost spectacular announcement of the beta for Android 11, which now means more developers and curious users might try testing the latest Developer Preview number four. That's well and good, especially if it helps root out bugs and kinks but testing unfinished software comes at a price. Now Google itself is singling out one unwanted side effect that ironically comes if your Pixel phone is already running the latest security update for June.

There are two ways to install Android 11 previews. One involves practically wiping the phone clean by installing a full system image. The other simply requires manually sideloading an OTA (over-the-air) update, the same kind of update you'd normally get live on the phone under normal circumstances.

These aren't normal circumstances, of course, and Google just issued a warning to those who want to test Android 11 DP4. If you have a Pixel phone running Android 10 that has already been updated to the June 2020 security patch, don't bother trying to sideload the ANdroid 11 DP4 OTA.

Google doesn't go into length why it's the case. It only says that it will cause device issues and will not work. Why that's the case with the June 2020 update, it doesn't say either. Unfortunately, that raises the barrier to testing out Android 11 for those who haven't yet but it does at least make sure you're really intent on doing it in the first place.

Android 11 was supposed to switch to beta this week but Google postponed that in light of recent events in the US. It hasn't yet given a new date for the online event it had originally planned but it should be pushing through sooner or later to avoid risking delays with smartphone makers as well.