Essential Just Made It Easier Than Ever to Join Their Oreo Beta Program

We get it, you haven’t sideloaded something onto an Android phone since 2011. That’s completely understandable and no one here blames you. Well, should you not be an adb master hacker elite, Essential is now letting would-be Oreo beta testers join the Android 8.1 beta via an over-the-air (OTA) update, instead of the usual sideload routine.

OTA > Sideload

I don’t know about you, but every time I flash something onto a phone, there’s a part of me, albeit small, that is completely positive that I’m about to brick my device. What can I say, I’m a worrier. With Essential letting folks determine if they want to sideload the beta build or receive a simple OTA, it essentially lets anyone with the device test out the upcoming Oreo update, without the need to worry about something going horribly wrong.

This is a great thing.

The option is now live on Essential’s developer page. To get started, all you need is your name, email address, device serial number (2x to ensure they match), then Essential states it could take up to 72 hours for you to receive the OTA. Of course, you don’t need to wait if you sideload, but again, not everyone is comfortable with that method.

Follow the link below if you’re ready to get started.

Essential Beta Builds