Google have launched the Android Canary Release Channel for developers to “explore and test the newest Android APIs.”
The Developer Preview program has been a critical part of Google’s release cycle, but its structure had inherent limitations:
- Developer Previews were not tied to a release channel, and had to be manually flashed to devices every time the cycle would restart.
- Because previews were tied to the next designated Android release, they were only available during the earliest part of the cycle. Once a platform version reached the Beta stage, the preview track would end, creating a gap where features that were promising but not yet ready for Beta had no official channel for feedback.
The new Android platform Canary channel addresses these challenges directly. By flashing your supported Pixel device to the Canary release channel, you can now receive a continuous, rolling stream of the latest platform builds via over-the-air (OTA) updates.
- You can try out and provide input on new features and planned behaviour changes in their earliest stages. These changes may not always make it into a stable Android release.
- The Canary release channel will run in parallel with the beta program. The beta program remains the way for you to try a more polished set of likely soon-to-be-released features.
- You can use the Canary builds with your CI to see if any of our in-development features cause unexpected problems with your app, maximizing the time we have to address your concerns.
Canary offers the latest, still-in-development version of Android build ZP11.250606.010.A1, giving developers early access to new features and APIs.
While Canary builds undergo testing, they may contain bugs or issues that could affect your device’s normal operation. For this reason, and it should actually go without saying, Canary builds are unsuitable for everyday use.
Additionally, features introduced in Canary may not always make it into a stable Android release.
This first release includes an updated SDK with system images for testing on Pixel 9a, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 8a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 6a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet devices. You can get started by flashing a Canary build, or by using the Android Emulator in Android Studio.
Developers can use the Android Flash Tool to get the most recent Canary build onto your supported Pixel device. Once flashed, you should expect OTA updates for the latest Canary builds as they become available.
To stop receiving Canary OTA updates, you will have to flash a non-canary build (prefix other than ZP11), which will require a data wipe.
