Thanks to the open source nature of Android, people can tailor the OS exactly to their needs. For example, the developers of Bliss ROMs maintain a version of Android known as Bliss OS for the classic x86 platform. The project has now hit its next milestone, as the first Android 12L beta release that people can run on their virtual machines or PCs is now available for download.

Notably, there have been two alpha builds for Bliss OS 15 based on Android 12, both released back in December last year. While the Bliss OS codebase is being rebased on top of Android 12L, Jon West, aka XDA Recognized Contributor electrikjesus, has shared the first glimpse of vanilla Android 12L running on a PC through a work-in-progress vanilla Android-x86 build. Now, the maintainers believe the Android-x86 release is mature enough for common PC configurations, hence the first beta build is up for grabs.

Apart from the regular novelties coming with Android 12L, the release has also extended compatibility with the desktop hardware by integrating additional drivers and UI enhancements. The Android-x86 project has historically always stuck to an interface close to stock Android, but this custom release includes a desktop mode launcher as an alternative launcher, which should be better suited for usage with keyboard and mouse.

The installation workflow is optimized for a UEFI-based environment with a GUID partition table (GPT) file system, but power users can tinker with the GRUB parameters and make it boot on legacy platforms as well. There is no need to flash a separate GApps package, as the Play Store and other Google services are preinstalled in the build.

Here is the full changelog of the initial beta release:

  • Added Smart Dock (Desktop Mode Launcher)
  • Updated to Linux Kernel 5.10.70 (with kernel-SU)
  • Updated to Mesa 22.0.0 (meson build)
  • Added new grub entries for graphics options
  • Added Google Play Store (GMS/Gapps)
  • Fixes for libndk-translation for arm & arm64
  • Updates to media packages for wider support through libva and omx

If you’re interested in trying out Android 12L on your PC and learn more about the project, head over to the official website of Bliss OS. Keep in mind that installing Android on a PC is not as straightforward as flashing a ROM on your phone, so the developers require you pass a little test before downloading the ISO package from there. Nonetheless, the direct download link can be found below, but make sure to do your research and carefully read through the installation instructions before getting your hands dirty.

Download Android-x86 12L Beta 1 from Bliss OS Developers


Source: Jon West on Twitter