Google launches Android Canary program for Pixel users who want to live on the bleeding edge

Owning a Pixel smartphone or tablet has always meant getting early access to what Google’s working on next for Android, and for a certain class of users, that can be a major part of the appeal of this hardware. Those who are interested have long been able to register to participate in the company’s Android Beta for Pixel program, letting them get access to in-development builds of major new release like Android 16 months and months before they’re ready to hit stable. If you love that kind of early preview, today Google’s announcing something even better.

Instead of just having that Beta, Google now introduces a new Canary access program. The idea here is that participants will be able to preview Google’s latest work on new Android releases basically all year long, rather than just in the half-year or so cycle we have now.

Canary is not going to replace the Beta program, and Google intends to run both alongside each other. If you know anything about development, though (maybe you play with Chrome’s own Canary channel), you’re aware that features at this early stage of implementation can be incredibly broken, and Google wants everyone going into this eyes-open:

You should expect bugs and breaking changes. These bleeding-edge builds will not be the best choice for someone to use as their primary or only device.

If that hasn’t discouraged you (or maybe you’ve just got a second Pixel you’re happy to sacrifice for the cause), you can get started by using Google’s Android Flash Tool to install a Canary build for your Pixel device — just like Google’s other current releases, everything from the Pixel 6 series and newer is supported. But once you’re flashed, future updates will arrive via a painless OTA update.

We cannot wait to see how this ends up opening new doors for tracking Android’s ongoing development, and look forward to sharing with you all the hot new features that will be popping up in Canary.