After multiple leaked references in Samsung apps, the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is official. Yesterday, we posted a full changelog from users that obtained the beta a day early. The update brings many new features from Oreo to the S8, including notification channels and autofill API support. If you’re quick, you can enroll your Galaxy S8 in the beta today.
Samsung posted an official announcement on their blog, detailing the rollout on November 2. The first thing to note is that the only S8 variants eligible for the beta in US are the T-Mobile, Sprint, and Unlocked models. If you have one of these phones, you can download the Samsung+ app from the Play Store to register your phone with Samsung and become eligible for the beta. There are only 10,000 slots available, so be very fast!
The beta appears to be fully under way in South Korea and the UK already, but users in the US are seeing it roll out by time zone. I just received the beta in Arizona at 10:25 AM, so it may be live for everyone now.
When the beta is available for you, there will be a notice on the home screen of the Samsung+ app, as shown in the screenshots below. Simply tap “Register” and then accept the terms and conditions. Then head to the Software Update heading in your phone Settings menu to grab the update. You may need to check for software updates a few times before it shows up, so be persistent and you’ll get it!
We will have a lot more coverage on the Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta, detailing what’s new and how it impacts day to day use. Let us know in the comments if you registered for the beta and received the update!
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