Android L developer preview ported to the Nexus 4

After Android L was unveiled at the Google I/O 2014 keynote, the developer preview was only officially made available only for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013), leaving other Nexus owners rather disappointed.

Given the popularity of the Nexus 4, and the recent release of some of Android L’s code, it was just a matter of time until the Android developer community found a way around the problem, which is exactly what a group over at XDA has managed to accomplish. Nexus 4 owners can now flash the Android L Preview, just as you would a custom ROM, and can finally try out the new look and features for themselves.

Since the initial release, other notable developers have lent some assistance and to patch up the handset’s camera, NFC, and bluetooth, and even superuser is now working correctly. Although, there still may be the odd bug or two present, so proceed with caution. You can see a video of Android L in action on the Nexus 4 in the video below.

We have enjoyed our time playing around with Android L, but wouldn’t recommend that most users consider it suitable for daily use over the long term, as there are still a number of issues with this preview build. Even so, it might still be worth a quick look to see what all the fuss is about.

For the full installation instructions, notes, and download links, check out the original thread here. If you are unwilling to mess around with recoveries and whatnot, remember that the Nexus 4 will receive the finalized version of Android L later in the year.