Google Opens A Beta-Testing Program For Early Adopters

Consummate Android and Google fans now have a way to test-drive the company’s bleeding-edge innovations. They opened a Beta-Testing program to early adopters and tech-savvy users via the Google Now app.

A card opens within the search and digital assistant app Google Now, and users can opt-in to the program from there. Once they opt-in, the updates that the Beta-Testing users will get for the Google apps they use will be the company’s Beta versions. As Droid Life explained, there will be no separate “Beta” app for the testers, but the app versions that they get are the company’s latest and freshest.

“Latest” and “freshest” may mean “they have the newest features”; however, this comes with a downside: The Beta version of any software may contain bugs. This means that these versions of the apps may not be the most stable, even though they have the newest features. Google also says so on the opt-in page for its Beta-Testing program.

Most Beta testers know that, however, and willingly take the risk, in order to enjoy the latest and greatest features. So if you are one of those early adopters, you may opt-in to Google’s Beta-Testing program through your Google Now app, or this link: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox/join.

It is always a privilege to get to use bleeding-edge features, in spite of the possible unstable and buggy nature of Beta versions. Be aware of the caveat, and it may be helpful to post app reviews on Google Play. More than that, the opt-in page also posted an email address where notes, bug reports, as well as opinions on the app may be welcomed: google-app-beta@googlegroups.com. Sending feedback allows Google’s developers to improve on their apps. In fact, this is why they put up the beta-testing program in the first place: To gather bug data, general usage data, feedback and other information on the apps they develop.

Enjoy being an early adopter and a bleeding-edge Google app user!

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Droid Life’s report on the Beta-Testing program: https://www.droid-life.com/2015/10/19/google-opens-beta-for-google-search-app-on-android/