Essential now starts rolling out first Android 8.1 Oreo beta for Essential Phone with experimental slow-scrolling jitter fix and February 2018 security patches. Recently, the company rolled out 3 Android 8.0 beta builds to the phone, but later decided to skip the build due to various issues. It means the company will update its Essential Phone PH-1 directly to Android 8.1 Oreo from Android 7.1 Nougat.
Though experimental, a most important change in this update is slow-scrolling jitter fix – an issue that plagued the device since its launch. This beta update (Android 8.1 Oreo Beta 1) does not include any other major changes, except February 2018 security patches and dynamic Clock and Calendar icons.
If your Essential Phone PH-1 is running on Android 8.0 Oreo beta 3, you will get this new update (build OPM1.180104.010) through OTA (over-the-air), which weighs around 492.9 MB. Check it manually by heading to Settings > About Device > System update. Other users can download and install the build manually.
The stable release of Android 8.1 Oreo for the device is not yet announced, but interested users can try the Oreo beta build right now. It is not a complicated process.
If you would like to install the Oreo 8.1 beta on Essential PH-1, then keep in mind that it will Factory reset your device. Back up important files and data before proceeding.
Installation Instruction:
Download Essential Phone Oreo 8.1 Beta -1 (OPM1.180104.010) from here and save where ADB is installed on your computer.
Unlock your device bootloader (guide), and then follow this installation instruction. (Source)
