Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 arrives next week, Google changes its release process

It’s been a few weeks since Google released the last beta version of Android 13 QPR2 (Quarterly Platform Release) and it appears the company is ready to kick off the next cycle of its Beta Program. The next beta update will be Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 and it will launch very soon.

Using its official Reddit account, Google announced that it will be rolling out Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 the week of March 13. This update will download automatically for Beta Program members. With the new beta, these members will get a taste of QPR3 before the stable version gets into the hands of the public. The stable version of the update is expected to be introduced sometime in June.

Something interesting to note in the tech giant’s post is the mention of a process change. It appears that users who are enrolled in the Beta Program will not receive the upcoming March QPR2 public stable release. If Beta Program members want the stable update, they will have to opt out of the program. Otherwise, they will just move on to Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1.

The company doesn’t explain if this process will be the approach going forward or if it’s just a one-time deal. However, given the wording, it sounds more like something they’re just doing for this particular rollout. As one Reddit user points out, this may be a situation where Google ran into a conflict with QPR2 being delayed and wanting to push out the QPR3 beta.

If you want to opt out of the program without having to wipe your data, Google provided a couple of instructions in its post. Those instructions include:

• Opt out of the program before March 13th, ignore/don’t apply the downgrade OTA update, and wait for the final public stable release of the March Feature Drop (QPR2) releasing this month. Opting out will not cause a data wipe as long as you don’t apply the downgrade OTA. Note: If you want to immediately return to the latest public version, you can apply the downgrade OTA which will require a data wipe per usual program guidelines.
• If you receive the Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 update, don’t install the update. Instead, first opt out of the program, ignore/don’t apply the downgrade OTA update, and wait for the official March public release. Note: If you opt-out of the program after installing the QPR3 beta 1 update, all user data on the device will get wiped per usual program guidelines.