Oliver Haslam on June 11, 2020, 3:50 am

Download: Android 11 Beta 1 Released By Google To Devs

You can now download Android 11 beta 1 for your device after Google announced and made it available to developers today.

It’s taken longer than anticipated but it’s now here – Google has released the first beta build of Android 11 to those who want to take it for a spin. The beta comes after the developer previews and things should be in a much better state now.

Users who want to take the new beta for a try will need to have a compatible Pixel phone as well as an understanding that this is indeed a beta release. Things may well be broken. And those that are could be very broken. But that said, there’s a ton going on in this new beta.

One of the most obvious changes will be the way chat notifications can now be prioritized depending on who you are chatting with. That should work across multiple messaging apps as well. Chat bubbles are in a similar position and should work to make it easier and quicker to reply to messages without having to constantly switch apps all the time.

Another feature, one that shouldn’t have taken this long to arrive, is a system-level screen recorder. iOS and third-party solutions on Android have been available for this in the past, but it’s now built into Android as of this Android 11 beta.

Other changes include a new power button shortcut, revised screenshot interface, and new media controls. There are also some privacy improvements that allow users to grant permissions on a one-time basis rather than everything or nothing. Perfect for testing out that latest social media craze.

It’s still early days for Android 11 and there is still plenty to come. If you do take it for a whirl, remember – problems are to be expected. We’d suggest not installing this Android 11 beta on a Pixel that you need to work, too.

But if you want to take it for a spin, head over to google.com/android/beta to get started.