Earlier, we will be able to test Android Q and many other devices in the early beta versions

At Google I / O 2017, Google officially revealed the Treble project. A major change in the Android architecture, aimed at allowing manufacturers to more easily publish software updates for Android to combat the problem of fragmentation and make Android devices safer. Every device that debuted with Android Oreo and later had to support Project Treble. As XDA Developers says, Project Treble offers another benefit: the fastest access to future versions of Android, such as Android Q.

One of the components of Project Treble is Generic System Image or GSI. A GSI is a pure version of Android from the Open Source Android Project (AOSP). This means that there is no customization of the manufacturer or suppliers. In addition, Google requires all Treble-enabled devices to start a GSI. And for this reason, manufacturers must submit their devices to a series of tests, such as CTS-on-GSI (Generic System Image Compatibility Test Suite) and VTS (Vendor Test Suite), to ensure proper operation of the equipment. when devices are running a GSI. However, the company wants GSIs to be more useful to the general public.

During the Android development summit, Team Treble's Hung-ying Tyan, Google, stressed the importance of GSI for Treble-enabled devices, while saying that his intention was to make GSI tools more useful for the general public.

GSI is the central part of Treble compatibility. We think that he has a lot more prospects. Our goal is to make GSI more accessible and useful, not only for manufacturers, but also for the general public, such as the developer community and users. We are looking for ways to make future GSIs available before the release of the next Android version. You will be able to test the next Android version faster via GSI.

What does this mean for us? We can try Android Q before the code reaches AOSP. And this is very important because it will allow users to test the new platform sooner than usual. Android P Developer Preview 1 came out on March 7 for Google Pixel and Pixel 2. Preview 2 for Android developer P came out on May 8 for Google Pixel and some non-Google smartphones. If Google released a GSI Android P, any Project Treble-compatible device could install it before it was officially released and released on August 6th.