Inching closer to the supposed launch of a new platform, Google has already rolled out a Developer Preview version of its upcoming Android N mobile OS. However, there are some devices that are having trouble updating to the developer version.
How will a user roll back to a prior platform like Android 6.0 Marshmallow from the Android N Developer Preview?
Those who have enrolled in the Android Beta program and updated to Android N Developer Preview from an automatic OTA update simply has to undo their device's enrollment in the program. After confirmation, an over-the-air notification will then be sent to the device itself, with a prior Android platform update in it. Downloading the "update" will then downgrade the current Android N to the Android 6.0 Marshmallow build.
As with any updates and downgrades, changing mobile platforms will erase all data in the device, so users will have to make sure to back up all data first before attempting the Android N roll back.
The automatic, OTA-enabled downgrade is only for devices enrolled in the Android Beta program. Users who have updated manually to the Android N Developer Preview by flashing their devices will have to again manually download an Android Marshmallow image and flash their devices again. Fortunately, Google has already compiled a list of Android Marshmallow and previous version images, as well as step-by-step instructions for manual flashing, on their developers' page.
Moreover, some users who have manually updated to Android N will have made a backup of their prior Android platform image and data first and will just need to reload the details on their devices.
Android N has been rumored to be coming out soon, and observers say that the new platform may appear as early as May, at this year's Google I/O Conference. The Developer Preview seems to be a hint at how close the release date is, although Google has yet to offer details on the upcoming platform's full version rollout.
