After the Android 13 Developer Preview and Public Beta Update, Google has finally rolled out the official Android 13, the 13th major iteration of the platform. Android 13 features expanded Material You support, improved privacy, a faster QR code scanner, an updated progress bar, new language support, notification permissions, an amazing photo picker, DNS over HTTPS support, etc. As usual, the company has released an Android 13 stable update for Google Pixel devices.
The Pixel phones that’ll get to enjoy the latest update include Google Pixel 6A, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5A 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 4A 5G, Pixel 4A, Pixel 4XL, and Pixel 4. Every year, Google’s Pixel lineup is the first to get its hands on the latest Android version. However, interestingly, other Android OEMs will receive the Android 13 update earlier this time. To quickly check whether your device has got the Android 13 update or not, go to Settings > System > System Update and click on Check for Update.
What is Android 13?
Successor to Android 12, Android 13 is the thirteenth major release of the Android OS. Since Android 10, Google stopped giving dessert names to its Android versions. But the company continued using dessert names amongst their internal development team.
Android 10 was named Quince Tart, Android 11 as Red Velvet Cake, and Android 12 as Snow Cone. However, Google is no longer keeping the dessert names internally. So, the company publicly announced that the new Android 13 codename is Tiramisu, which is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert.
Android 13 Features
Though the new Android 13 update isn’t as major as compared to Android 12, it still brings several improvements and upgrades over its predecessor. Let’s have a look at some of the Android 13 features.
1. New Material You Color Themes
This feature allows you to personalize your user interface based on your phone wallpaper. The new Material You in Android 13 adopts the color scheme to match your wallpaper. You can choose from newly launched expressive color variants. In Android 12, Material You is limited only to system apps.
However, in Android 13, you can also use the Material You wallpaper-based theming system on third-party app icons. Moreover, this feature also has an expanded Material You media control. That means when you play a song, the music player will adopt the album artwork color. Additionally, the progress bar will also turn into an audio wave. Isn’t it amazing!
2. Language Personalization
Android 13 offers multilingual app support. This allows you to change the Android app’s language as per your choice. Now, you can use Google Chrome in your native language and operate the rest of the phone in English.
Unfortunately, this does not apply to all applications. To set your preferred language in any app, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > App Languages.
3. Android Photo Picker
Does this sound familiar? Yes, Google has adopted this Android photo picker feature from iOS. This feature allows you to give the app access to certain photos and videos rather than giving complete access to the entire gallery.
This company plans to launch an Android photo picker for older phones running Android 11 and above. All the users will get an update to the media provider module through Google Play System Updates.
4. Clipboard Editor Overlay
Android 13 features a new clipboard editor, giving you a pencil overlay icon to edit copied content. This is definitely a handy shortcut to quickly edit whatever you can copy before pasting it somewhere. Moreover, copying a phone number or link will immediately show you options to call/message or open Google Chrome.
5. Quick QR Code Scanner
Since the pandemic, the use of QR codes has increased tremendously. Every grocery store, restaurant, and shop uses QR scan codes as the main payment terminal. Android 13 has added a QR code scanner on the phone lock screen. This way, you can quickly access the QR code scanner whenever possible.
6. Smart Home Controls
Android 13 also brings quick access to smart home gadgets. Now, you can easily control the smart lights, cameras, fan, and TV, without unlocking your phone lock screen. The feature is disabled by default.
To turn it on, go to Settings > Display > Lockscreen > Control from locked device. To access your smart home devices quickly, use the Home icon at the bottom left of your mobile lock screen.
7. Bluetooth LE Audio Support
Android 13 features Bluetooth low-energy Audio and Low Complexity Communications Codec support. Therefore, with Android 13, you’ll get better audio quality for earbuds and headphones than the SBC codec. Moreover, you get this audio quality even at a 50 percent low bit rate and reduced power consumption.
Android 13 Release Date
- 10 February 2022: First Developer Preview
- 26 April 2022: Public Beta Update
- 15 August 2022: Official Android 13 rollout worldwide
List of devices getting the Android 13 Update
Here is the list of devices that’ll receive the Android 13 official update:
- Pixel 6A
- Pixel 6 Pro
- Pixel 6
- Pixel 5A 5G
- Pixel 5
- Pixel 4A 5G
- Pixel 4A
- Pixel 4XL
- Pixel 4
Xiaomi
- Xiaomi Pad 5
- Xiaomi 12
- Xiaomi 12 Pro
Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy A53
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Samsung Galaxy S21
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S22
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Fold
- Samsung A90 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A21s
- Samsung Galaxy A21
- Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20+
- Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note20
- Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note10+
- Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note10
- Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
- Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Fold
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
- Samsung Galaxy S8+
- Samsung Galaxy S8 SE
- Samsung Galaxy S7+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 5G3
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G4
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A71
- Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A51
- Samsung Galaxy A90 5G
Asus
- Asus Zenfone 8
Lenovo
- Lenovo Tab P12 Pro
OnePlus
- OnePlus 10T
- OnePlus 10 Pro
- OnePlus 9RT
- OnePlus 9R
- OnePlus 9 Pro
- OnePlus 9
- OnePlus Nord 2
- OnePlus Nord 2T
- OnePlus Nord CE
- OnePlus Nord CE2
- OnePlus Nord CE2 Lite
- OnePlus 8T
- OnePlus 8 Pro
- OnePlus 8
LG
- LG Velvet
- LG V60 ThinQ 5G
- LG Wing
- LG Velvet LTE
ZTE
- ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
Nokia
- Nokia X20
Vivo
- Vivo X80 Pro
Sharp
- Sharp Aquos Sense 6
Tecno
- Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G
Motorola
- Motorola Edge+
- Motorola Edge
- Motorola Edge 30 Pro
- Motorola Edge 30
- Moto G Stylus 5G
- Moto G 5G 2022
- Moto G82 5G
- Moto G62 5G
- Moto G42
- Moto G32
Realme
- Realme GT2 Pro
Oppo
- Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
- Oppo Reno8 5G
- Oppo Reno7 Pro
- Oppo Reno 7 5G
- Oppo Reno 6 5G
- Oppo F21 Pro
- Oppo K10 5G
- Oppo A76
- Oppo Reno 6 Pro 5G
- Oppo Reno6 Pro Diwali edition
- Oppo Reno5 Pro 5G
- Oppo F21 Pro 5G
- Oppo F19 Pro+
- Oppo K10
- Oppo A96
- Oppo Find X2
- Oppo A74 5G
- Oppo Pad Air
- Oppo F19 Pro
- Oppo F19
- Oppo F19s
- Oppo A77
- Oppo A57
- Oppo A55
- Oppo A53s
The Android 13-supported device list mentioned above is confirmed by the specific Android OEMs. I’ll include more devices once confirmed.
