Android Nougat 7.0 Samsung update: Samsung gets to work on beta program for Galaxy S7 edge

A promotional image for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.Samsung USA

Although Google has already rolled out its latest Android Nougat platform, third-party tech makers have yet to start the update for their lineup. It is said that Samsung will be one of the early adopters of the new version, as the beta program will start soon for the Galaxy S7 edge.

SamMobile reports that the South Korea-based tech giant has started the beta program rollout of the Android Nougat 7.0 for its latest flagship, the Galaxy S7 edge, in the UK. Since the flagship is primarily a step-up iteration, it is also expected that the test version will also roll out for the lineup's base version Galaxy S7.

Meanwhile, although the update may have started rolling out to the beta program, not all beta testers will receive the Android Nougat 7.0 beta for their devices. Samsung is expected to trim down the list of beta enrollees, only selecting a number of participants. It is confirmed that Samsung has already removed the Galaxy beta program app from the store, hinting that the maximum number of beta testers may have already been reached. It is unclear if the third-party APK version of the app will still work.

It has been at least three months since Google officially rolled out the newest platform, and the tech maker has already scheduled its first major update, Android 7.1.x, for release in December. However, although there are reports that beta programs have already started for third-party flagships like Samsung and Sony Mobile (for the Xperia X Performance), there is no confirmation yet of any official full version updates rolling out. Outside of the Google-backed flagships like the Nexus lineups and the new Pixel and Pixel XL, the only third-party flagships that came out pre-installed with Android Nougat 7.0 to date are the new Huawei Mate 9 and the LG V20. There are rumors, though, that HTC will also come out with an Android Nougat-run handset soon, with the HTC Bolt.