Earlier this week, Google opened a public beta program for its Messages app. I guess we should not be too surprised because we're talking about Google here, but the very first beta version of Messages (v4.7) crashes instantly at the beginning.

We tested the beta version of Messages on a number of phones, including some running Q Beta 5, and immediate forced closing on all phones. An informant said that he had tried to reboot and clear the cache in vain, and we had the same experience. Long story short: do not install this beta.

Our master of disassembly of resident applications, Cody, believes that this could be due to Messages v4.7, which is waiting for a new version of Google Play services that has not yet been released to the public. This happened in the past, and the tests probably did not succeed because engineers did not consider differences in publication schedules. This is certainly a plausible theory.

So, yes – do not install the new beta version of Messages. You will be forced to uninstall the updates, press APK Mirror to get the latest stable version (found here) and reinstall.