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| Google releases the first developer preview of Android 13 |
Google has released its first developer preview of Android 13, with some hints that the search giant is focusing on a major update to its mobile operating system this year.
New features include upgrade options, privacy features, new voice controls, and many behind the scenes updates.
These original previews are intended for developers and not end users. Therefore, it is better to postpone the upgrade until the system is complete.
After Android 12 focuses on customizable features, Material You, Android 13 extends dynamic app icons to all apps, not just Google apps.
Theme icons feature allows app icons to be displayed with tints that complement the desktop background, as long as the app developer provides a compatible monochrome icon.
The feature first appeared on Pixel devices. But Google said it was working with other manufacturers to release it on a larger scale.
There are also some tweaks to how Android handles permissions and security. The new photo picker allows users to share photos and videos using a single app that does not need permission to view all the photos on your device.
Google plans to make this feature available for all phones running Android 11 and above.
Google releases first developer version of Android 13
There's more in this new developer preview. These changes may be less noticeable in daily use.
New Wi-Fi permissions allow apps to discover and connect to Wi-Fi hotspots without the need for location permissions.
Language settings can now be set as an option for each app, which is useful for multilingual users.
The company also said that it will continue to invest in Project Mainline to deliver more updates through Google Play rather than at the operating system level.
Google plans to release a developer preview of Android 13 in February and March. It also plans to go into beta in April.
Android 13 is expected to be stable in June or July before its official release later this year.