Back in May, ASUS released the first Android 12 beta build for the ZenFone 8, allowing developers and enthusiasts to try out the new software and help weed out critical bugs. The Taiwanese OEM is now following up with the second installment that fixes many of the bugs and issues reported by the early adopters.
The update (software version 31.0803.0403.54) is now available for ASUS ZenFone 8 users enrolled in the Android 12 beta program. There are no new features included in the new build, as this is mostly a bug-fixing update. Notably, the update comes with the September 2021 Android security patches. The build ID of the firmware is SKQ3.210717.001, which indicates that the underlying Android layer is based on the Beta 4 release.
Since this is still a beta release, you may find it a bit unpolished as a daily driver. Here are the known issues present in the Beta 2 build:
- System stability issues
- Camera stability issues
- Miracast stability issues
- Outdoor mode is not supported
- Fingerprint recognition rate is lower than desirable when device screen is off
- Battery status displayed in Settings may be inaccurate
- 3rd-party apps compatibility issues
Keep in mind that the new build will not be rolling out to ZenFone 8 users running the first Android 12 beta as a regular OTA update. Since this is part of the Developer Preview Program, it’s only available as a Fastboot-flashable package. After downloading the build from the link below, you need to extract the contents of the ZIP archive and execute the flashall_AFT.cmd script on Windows to flash the Beta 2 update. Linux and macOS users, however, might have to opt for manual flashing.
Download Android 12 Beta 2 for the ASUS ZenFone 8
There’s no official word yet on a ZenUI-based public beta, let alone a stable release. But with the current beta program moving at a swift pace, it shouldn’t take long for ASUS to open up the latest software to more users.