Android 13 is rolling out on Pixel devices: Here are the top features

Google has started rolling out Android 13 to Pixel smartphones. A larger rollout on Android smartphones by third-party OEMs such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, Motorola, Realme, Vivo, Asus, and HMD Nokia is expected later this year. 

Here are some of the new features that will allow users to customise the interface, improve security and make users more productive. 

Design 

Material You: Users can now extend the material you design to third-party apps. In Android 13, third-party apps can now be customised to match the smartphone’s wallpaper theme and colors to give it a more cohesive look.  

Personalisation 

Language: Android 13 will let users choose languages for specific apps without changing the phone’s system language. This will be a lot more convenient for multilingual users who want to use specific apps in a language of their choice.

Security

Restrict access to media: Users can now choose to allow apps to access only select photos and videos instead of the entire media library. This sounds similar to iOS’ photo library permissions which also restrict access to select apps. 

Protecting clipboard data: The Clipboard feature in Android that lets users move or copy text quickly also keeps a record of all the data copied through it including sensitive login credentials.. In Android 13, the clipboard will automatically clear its history frequently.

Wellbeing

Bedtime mode: To help users sleep better, Android 13 is adding the option to customise bedtime mode by dimming the wallpaper or switching to a dark mode. This will reduce stress on the eyes by allowing them to adjust to the dark better. 

More control over unwanted notifications: Apps will no longer be able to send notifications by default and will require explicit permission from users before they can send notifications. This will save users from getting overwhelmed by unwanted notifications. 

Audio

Lower latency: Android 13 supports the new Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio standard that has a lot lower latency than classic audio. This means audio played on smartphones and heard on headphones or speakers will be in much better sync without any delays. It will also allow users to broadcast audio to multiple devices simultaneously. 

Spatial Audio: Android 13 also supports headphones that allow head tracking. The Spatial Audio feature will adjust the source of the sound to the position or tilt of the head to ensure the audio experience is consistent and immersive regardless of the position of the head. 

Productivity 

Streaming phone messages to Chromebook: For users juggling between Chromebook and Android phone, Android 13 will provide the flexibility to simultaneously see the messages in the smartphone on the Chromebook and respond to them from the laptop.  

Moving content seamlessly: WIth Android 13, users can copy and paste content such as URLs, images, texts, and videos from an Android smartphone to a tablet and vice versa. This will be a huge boost for users who rely on tablets for work.