Google Begins Testing Android Nougat 7.1.2

Google Begins Testing Android Nougat 7.1.2

The Android train keeps rolling even though most phones out in the world are pretty much stuck on whatever version of the OS they’re currently running. And today, Google announced another small step forward with the start of Android Nougat 7.1.2 testing.

“Android 7.1.2 is an incremental maintenance release focused on refinements, so it includes a number of bug fixes and optimizations, along with a small number of enhancements for carriers and users,” Google VP Dave Burke notes in a post to the Android Developers Blog.

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As with previous Android Nougat beta releases, this one is open to only a very small list of devices, mostly from Google. But there is one big change this time around: For the first time, those with Pixel and Pixel XL handsets can participate too.

So for this first beta release, those with a Pixel or Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, Nexus Player, or Pixel C device can sign-up for the Android Beta Program and begin testing pre-release versions of Android Nougat 7.1.2. The Nexus 6P will be let into the testing for a later release, Google says.

The public beta will be delivered to eligible phones in the next few days. (And you can leave the beta at any time and return to the shipping version of Android, too, something that is not so easy for those testing Windows 10 in the Windows Insider Program.) There is no word on any new features, but Google says that Android Nougat 7.1.2 will be finalized in “a couple of months.”

I’ve added my Pixel XL to the list. It can only help.

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Conversation 8 comments

  • 10158

    30 January, 2017 - 7:27 pm

    <p>Paul, it sounds like your love affair with Android was short lived. The OS&nbsp;wins you over early on, but then it just seems to fall flat after a while. You end up resorting to calling your phone a tool for life and getting an iPhone. Windows Mobile gaveth hope, then it took it away.&nbsp;</p>

    • 5510

      31 January, 2017 - 1:08 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#39469">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Darmok N Jalad">Darmok N Jalad</a><a href="#39469">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>What? Paul never had an affair with Android, because it’s Google. You can read it by his posts, when he carries the MSFT narrative of "Scroogle" campaign, his&nbsp;antitrust crusade, and just recently he even questioned (on the latest What the Tech episode) on whether Chromebooks are real computers.&nbsp;</p>
      <p>Paul moved on to Android because he got bored with his "special" Windows Phone and he saw that writing on the wall….it was breathing it’s last breaths. So he moved to Android, because it’s the only system where he can get build a quality ecosystem centered around Microsoft Office. Google comes out with a better phone, the Pixel, and he even said that he preferred his Nexus. LOL….THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!&nbsp;</p>
      <p>I have a Windows Phone Lumia 735 (Verizon). For a Microsoft fan, who wants an all-Microsoft ecosystem….that phone is still good. I can’t see why any Microsoft fan would want to switch to something else.&nbsp;</p>
      <p>I think Mary Jo described Paul very well, during one episode of Windows Weekly. She told someone, I have a colleague who is about 50 and he plays video games.</p>
      <p>Take the opening sentence: "The Android train keeps rolling even though most phones out in the world are pretty much stuck on whatever version of the OS they&rsquo;re currently running." &nbsp; LOL…everyone knows that’s not Google’s fault.&nbsp;</p>
      <p>I’ll tell you this much, if Paul came out of his Microsoft bubble and participated in technology roundtables, he’d be creamed!</p>

      • 2371

        31 January, 2017 - 10:07 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#39508">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Bats">Bats</a><a href="#39508">:</a>&nbsp; Actually, if Google wanted to do something about phones not getting updates, they could.&nbsp; With 80% market share worldwide, they have the power.&nbsp; The phone OEMs have no other phone OS to go to with W10M not going anywhere and iOS not an option for them.&nbsp; Phones not being updated is completely on Google.</em></blockquote>
        <p>&nbsp;</p>

        • 5812

          Premium Member
          31 January, 2017 - 12:11 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#39538">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/RM">RM</a><a href="#39538">:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>That is clearly false and you don’t know what your talking about. First there are costs involved with this from paying carriers to employing people to create a new version of your OS with the changes the Google made. Almost every company customizes there Android and the ones who only slightly do still take 3 to 6 months to apply the changes from Google and apply the changes that that OEM add into it and then testing internaly and then having the carriers test. I’m sorry but you have no idea what a PIA it is and most of the companies are getting small margins on sales of these phones so they are happy for you to just replace it when you contract is up. If you want an always up to date phone you can have it. Just by any phone by google and word is Google will release cheaper phones along with the pixel this year. If you don’t care then you wouldn’t be on this site which is almost everyone else in the world and a vast amount of normal people don’t like updates. They want the phone to be the same as they bought it. They don’t want anything to change or break apps they like. Buying a new phone and learning how the new one works seems to be different mentally than updates because they are buying it maybe. I don’t know but many people I know have updates just sitting there bugging them for many months and I ask why didn’t you update and they say they don’t want to. It works fine.&nbsp;</p>

          • 5641

            31 January, 2017 - 12:45 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#39581">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Nicholas_Kathrein">Nicholas_Kathrein</a><a href="#39581">:</a></em></blockquote>
            <p>Its a valid point about the differences of each OEM’s Android. I’ve not used them but how is Samsung’s interpretation of Android different from LG’s, or Sony or HTC. Would a user be able to easily move between different phones manufacturers? Would their settings follow them?</p>

          • 5485

            01 February, 2017 - 4:28 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#39581">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Nicholas_Kathrein">Nicholas_Kathrein</a><a href="#39581">:</a></em></blockquote>
            <p>I think most user don’t update their phones because of fear to break or loose something. If you are required to backup your data the update is not likely to happen…. Its much more a matter of confidence in&nbsp;the process than actually fear of change. For instance, people fear that with the new update things will get slower … that is down to Google.</p>
            <p>On the other hand OEM’s update the OS most of the times way late … Simply put its a software update and their aren’t in the business of making software or services …</p>
            <p>The combination of these is why I think lead to such a low adoption of new versions of Android. Its not really down to the user IMHO. Everyone likes improvement.</p>

        • 5485

          01 February, 2017 - 4:16 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#39538">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/RM">RM</a><a href="#39538">:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>So could MS with Windows 10 and …</p>
          <p>I don’t think that such move is what Google has in mind.</p>
          <p>Having said this Google seams to have a conundrum to solve. How will they get money out of its Android efforts in proportion to its investments. Google Android apps are mostly ad free and as you can see by their Financial reports their Mobile Ad business is far from their Web Ad business.</p>
          <p>It will interesting to see what will happen when they press the profit button on Android. I suspect it will not be pretty. Whatever will be the solution it will be risky form Google …</p>
          <p>1) They can plan to overtake Samsung with their Pixel line. Offering a complete lineup of devices with exclusive features. While maintaining a baseline Android for OEMs to play around. This does not seam so shocking considering that OEM’s highly customize the default UI and services … Samsung does. But it will not be easy and might not be well perceived by the consumer even though it would be far game considering the OEM’s practices.</p>
          <p>2) Start being more aggressive with Mobile Ads in the OS. Again this will not be definitely well perceived either by OEMs or Consumers.</p>
          <p>3) Bite users privacy even more and to come up with new services for businesses. Again, risky.</p>
          <p>PS: Paul as far as I read uses Google Docs and Gmail as his daily productivity drivers and I suspect he would replace Skype if he was not stuck with it due synergies of the Windows ecosystem. … not so much Office 365.</p>

  • 442

    30 January, 2017 - 8:24 pm

    <p>It just hit me that we seem to&nbsp;enamored these days with a x.x.+1 release.&nbsp; Weren’t those supposed to be mainly bug fixes in the past?&nbsp; Oh well…</p>

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