Android 11 beta 2 is here, hits the platform stability milestone

Today, Google is officially rolling out Android 11 beta 2. This is (obviously) the second beta version of the operating system and the seventh official release of the platform overall.

With that many releases under its belt, Android 11 is now very close to being ready for a stable launch. In fact, the Android 11 beta 2 launch brings the OS to a milestone: platform stability. This is a new milestone that Google implemented just for Android 11, which lets developers know that the way their apps work in this beta is the way they’ll work when Android 11 goes stable.

In other words, Android 11 beta 2 is incredibly close to being ready for primetime.

Android 11 beta 2: The platform stability milestone

According to Google, it introduced the “platform stability” milestone in response to developer requests. Previously, Google could make changes to APIs and other app-facing aspects of Android all the way up until a stable launch. With Android 11 beta 2, though, everything that would affect a developer’s app is now final, allowing them to be confident that how their app works on this newest version of the OS is how it will work when Android 11 starts making its way to general consumers.

Related: How to make sure your app is ready for Android 11

This will give developers plenty of time to work on the nuances and details of their apps without needing to worry that something integral to Android 11 will change between now and the stable launch.

Speaking of the stable launch, earlier today we found evidence to suggest that the stable launch of Android 11 could be on September 8. That would mean this Android 11 beta 2 is likely the second-to-last version of the OS before we see a launch. We can expect there could be an Android 11 beta 3 in August and then the final version a few weeks later.

Give it a shot now, but don’t expect tons of new features

With the first Android 11 beta (and the quick-fix beta 1.5), the core of the operating system was mostly completed. As such, there isn’t going to be too many groundbreaking new features in Android 11 beta 2. Instead, this is the time where Google tweaks and refines the nitty-gritty details.

Related: The most notable new Android 11 features we’ve found so far

That being said, there was a discovery today that Google added a last-minute addition to Android 11 which will give developers access to multiple different cameras at once on Android phones. This could finally allow something like a camera app that takes two photos simultaneously: one with the rear system and one with the front system.

For all the latest on Android 11, including the newest features and updates, check out our update hub. And, if you want to give Android 11 beta 2 a shot, you can install it now on your Google Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, or Pixel 4. Check out our guide on that here.