Android 12 DP3 Update Released For Pixels, Not For All

Today the latest update to Android was released for the perusal of the lucky few able to access it. With Google I/O 2021 on the horizon, it's just about time for Android 12 to take center stage. With Android 12 Developer Preview 3, Google suggests they're focusing on making the operating system "smarter, easier to use, and better performing" with both privacy and security "at the core." This update can be downloaded today.

This update is meant for developers, but if you happen to have a Google Pixel device and want to take an early peek, you can also make it happen. When you're using a Developer Preview of Android, you should not use your main smartphone, as it's very possible that key elements may not yet work. This is not an Android build that has the same "everything should be working" expectations as a public release.

This update is the last of the Developer Preview builds for Android 12. After this, we'll start seeing Public Beta builds for Android 12. Each previous Developer Preview for Android 12 has been released on expected schedule so far – February, March, and April. Next in May we'll see Beta 1, June and July will have the next two Beta releases, then we start Platform Stability in August.

To download Android 12 DP3, you'll need a Pixel 3 or later. That means Pixel 3 and 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, Pixel 4, 4 XL, Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, or Pixel 5, and you'll need to install an OTA image of the Developer Preview system for Android 12. You can also use the official Android Emulator on your desktop computer. If you already have a device running Android 12 DP2, you should see this upgrade to DP3 automatically, over-the-air.

Stick around as we go through the various changes made to Android with this build, and explore what works – and what's still broken. If you're running Android 12 Beta DP3, let us know! Let's explore this software together!