There may be an Android L beta out, but it probably won’t be getting any updates.
On June 26, Google released a beta preview, Android L Developer Preview SDK, for developers on the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7. Although Google are not officially calling it a “beta,” this marks the first time that Google is allowing its developers test a version of Android before its release.
Android L, which was previously known as the Android Lollipop, Android 4.5, or Android 5.0, was officially announced at Google I/O 2014.
Users can expect a new look Material Design theme and an improved Notification system, along with the usual performance, run time, graphics, and battery life improvements that come with each iteration of Google Android.
However, developers looking to get an update of the “beta” will be sorely disappointed.
A Google developer has said that Google will not release any more “new device images.” This means that the current developer preview will be the final and only “beta” of Android L out there until the official release.
The developer wrote that the original developer preview was meant for developers to test their apps and prepare for the official Android L launch, but developers have noted that the current “beta” might be too limited to properly prepare apps for the eventual launch.
Regardless, Google is slowly paving the way for the transition to Android L, starting with the Google Play Store.
The redesign of the store interface is under way, and will be updated along the way.
There is no official release date for the Android L so far. If past OS release dates are anything to go by, then the Android L could be released sometime in November, like the Android KitKat 4.4.
