The Android L Developer Preview is now available for LG Nexus 5 and ASUS Nexus 7 2013. However, the firmware contains several bugs according to reports, which are troublesome for those who have installed and currently playing on it. Here are the issues users must know before installing the preview version.

Android L Preview Unstable

Based on the reports from Android Police, Android L is not yet stable for everyday tasks and users who wanted the firmware should know first what they are going to face once installed on Nexus 5 or Nexus 7.

Several emails have flooded Android Police and contained most issues regarding applications, system functions and more. As per Android L Developer Preview, it is only meant for developers to optimise their apps and update them before the commercial version goes live so that users won't have any issues later on.

Here are some issues unveiled by Android Police bugging devices running Android L DP:

  1. Apps may suffer incompatibility issues on the new OS.
  2. Apps will likely to crash if incompatibility occurs.
  3. Lock screen full album art from KitKat is not yet perfectly working.
  4. Users may find several features missing on their device due to lack of optimisation.
  5. If certain features are found, not all of them may be working normally (broken function).
  6. Expect certain issues as well with wireless connectivity since optimisation is required from the drivers.
  7. Mobile data may not work depending on the region and variant of the device.
  8. Dismissal of multiple notifications not working yet.
  9. Lack of "battery percentage on the toggle menu" option.
  10. Location Services always set on High Accuracy mode.

Googler Adam Powell replied on these bugs and confirms that it is normal on a developer preview version of a firmware.

"The preview has quite a few known bugs. I can think of a half dozen apps off the top of my head that crash on launch for varying reasons, most of which I can't remotely be considered their fault. The preview is meant for developers who want to get their apps ready for all of the new features and behaviours; that audience doesn't need production-level compatibility support yet," Powell replied to Android Police.

XDA Reports

XDA forum also located several known bugs on Android L Developer Preview running on LG Nexus 5, and for those who are planning to play with it on commercial models, here are the details:

  1. Vibration does not work throughout the OS.
  2. Installation of multiple apps at one creates an error.
  3. Changing of keyboard colour scheme may put it back to the old style keyboard.
  4. Keyboard may stay even after closing the app requiring to type.
  5. Keyboard suggestions may have black background that covers the letters.

Android L Developer Preview can be annoying to commercial users due to several bugs. But Google's release on the preview is designed for developers to optimise apps. Despite of these issues, XDA forum member chambers7867 noted that the battery saving mode on Android L seems to be working normally.