Google had introduced Android 7.0 Nougat already, but the OS still did not ship on a single device. As we’re waiting for the Nexus devices to land, it looks like smartphone manufacturers are gearing up to push this update on their top-tier smartphones as soon as possible. Just a few days ago we’ve reported that Sony has started accepting sign-ups for testing Android 7.0 Nougat for its Xperia X Performance smartphones. Now, LG has started rolling out a beta version of Android 7.0 Nougat to LG G5 users running on the LG U+ carrier network in South Korea though the Preview Program.
This early preview program is available for the fairly limited user base. LG’s plan is to test this preview build with 2000 LG G5 users on a first come, first-served basis. The preview program is kicking off from today and will run until August 16th. Those who want to test out an early version of Android 7.0 Nougat will have to download LG OS preview app on their LG G5 device from the Google Play Store, and then have to follow the steps described in the app to install this beta version of the software on their LG G5 smartphone. Beta testers will be able to send their feedback directly to LG in order to address possible bugs and issues, which LG will take into account during the development of the final build of Android 7.0 Nougat, in order to deliver a more stable and polished user experience. LG says they will release the final version of Android 7.0 Nougat for LG G5 in a few weeks, once the build is ready to go. However, the company didn’t provide any details on whether this software preview program will be made available to users of LG G5 outside the Korea, or whether this program will be extended to more LG devices later.
Android smartphone manufacturers have always been criticized for taking too much time to update, or even worse not update their devices at all. It’s great to see that OEMs are now finally getting serious about pushing the latest software updates to their smartphones as soon as possibly. Just recently, a report surfaced stating that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 phablet will get Android 7.0 Nougat in just 2 to 3 months, while HTC’s 10 flagship is also expected to get the update soon.
