Motorola Announces Test Drive Early Access Software Updates

Sometimes the wait for an update to come rolling out for your smartphone is tiresome, especially as the rest of the world seemingly enjoys the latest and greatest software offerings. Earlier today, Motorola announced that it will begin offering users a trial run option for new software, getting updates out faster than before. Users can then provide feedback on any bugs they might encounter.

The feature is called Test Drive, and will be launched starting with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The first few hundred users who sign up for Test Drive will receive a software preview from Motorola in a you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours sort of way. Says the announcement, more details will be provided, including instructions on signing up, on the company's blog "soon."

This is an improvement over the company's previous Feedback Network opportunity, which allowed a small number of customers to test new upcoming software updates. Back in September, Motorola announced that it was aiming to be a "New Motorola," and so this change is not only exciting, but hints at the company's new forward direction. Not all phones will receive upgrades however, and so you can swap your phone in via the company's trade up program if you're in the market for a new smartphone.

Says Motorola, "Clearly, there's a lot going on at Motorola, and we have no intention of slowing down any time soon. We're a new company with a new approach, and a big part of how we'll do business going forward is to keep our customers in the loop." The company encourages feedback on its Google+ page.

[via Android Community]