Confirmed: More OEMs will support Android Q beta than Android P preview

An Android robot outside a Google building.

A big surprise regarding the Android P beta last year was the inclusion of third-party manufacturers in the initiative. And a Google engineer has now confirmed that more manufacturers will support the Android Qbeta program.

“So at Google I/O, when we did the first beta, we had all these companies lined up and that was really quite amazing. The number is bigger for the upcoming Android release, which I am very happy about. I cannot share the exact numbers yet,” Google engineer and Project Treble architect Iliyan Malchev told the Android Developers Backstage Podcast (h/t: XDA-Developers and r/Android).

The Android P beta had seven third-party manufacturers on board, including Essential, HMD Global, OnePlus, Oppo, Sony, Vivo, and Xiaomi. So who could be the new additions to the initiative?

Well, notable absentees last year include HTC, Honor/Huawei, LG, Motorola, Realme, Samsung and ZTE. The likes of Motorola seem like a no-brainer too, as its lightweight take on Android should make updates a less complicated affair.

We’re also hoping that, unlike last year, manufacturers offer beta support for more than just one phone in their device portfolio. The Android P beta was available for the Essential Phone, Nokia 7 Plus, OnePlus 6, Oppo R15 Pro, Sony Xperia XZ2, Vivo X21, and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S.

Are there any particular manufacturers or phones you’d like to see in the Android Q beta? Give us your answer in the comments section below!

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Loknath Das