After numerous rumors coupled with Samsung's official promise and a recent GFXBench sighting, it looks like Android Nougat may finally be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.
An XDA user and Galaxy S7 edge owner reported noticing an app in the Galaxy Apps store called "Galaxy Beta Program" some days ago, much to the excitement of Galaxy S7 and S7 edge users. The app was speculated to finally bring the much-awaited Nougat update for the smartphones.
Now, despite lack of official word from Samsung about an Android Nougat update, new information about the company's forthcoming Galaxy Beta program has surfaced. Beginning Nov. 9, owners of either the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge in the United States, UK, South Korea and China will be allowed to enroll in the beta program.
The beta program will allow owners in those participating countries to try out an Android 7.0 build for the handsets, upon which they may send the engineers feedback on the user experience. It looks like the beta will last until mid-December, but users can still use the beta software past the end date, as listed in Samsung's FAQ.
How To Join The Galaxy Beta Program
For owners of either the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge under a Sprint, T-Mobile or a Verizon contract, you may head over to the Galaxy Apps store and download the Galaxy Beta Program app.
Upon installation, submit a beta program application form via the registration menu on the topmost part of the app. It helps if you already have a Samsung account. If you meet the criteria, you may now wait to be selected.
After finishing the registration process, you can install the beta software by heading to Settings, then Device information, then tapping on "download updates." Keep in mind that Samsung will not grant access to every beta program application, so make sure you meet all the criteria during the registration.
Additionally, it appears that unlocked Galaxy S7 or S7 edge variants won't be included in the beta program, as well as the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games and Batman Injustice Edition, according to a report by Android Police. So for those who have these variants, you're out of luck.
For those eager to try Android 7.0 Nougat beta on their Galaxy S7 or S7 edge devices, it's important to note that the current build is not intended to be the final version of the software. In fact, it's quite the opposite, since Samsung wants users to actively report errors or snags they might encounter as they continuously use the beta version. So don't expect a smooth and seamless Android N experience right off the bat.
