TechPhonesAndroid PhonesFree Android 13 upgrade enhances smart home controlThe Android 13 beta is out, and you can install it today on compatible phonesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechPhonesAndroid PhonesFree Android 13 upgrade enhances smart home controlThe Android 13 beta is out, and you can install it today on compatible phonesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The Android 13 beta is out, and you can install it today on compatible phones
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
Googleis gearing up for the launch ofAndroid13, the next generation of its mobile operating system, which will come pre-installed on thebest Android phonesand available for older Androids later this year. One new feature will be great news for impatient smart home users like me.
The smart home controls that Android 11 brought to the sleep/wake button menu were handy, but you have to unlock your phone to use them. First world problems, I know, but it’s still pretty annoying. So the news that the first beta of Android 13 enables you to do the smart home stuff without unlocking is great news.
Faster smart home control isn’t the only new feature in the Android 13 beta. And if you have aPixel phoneand you’d like to try the next Android for yourself, you caninstall it today.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
What’s new in Android 13 so far
Unlike the previous builds of Android 13, which were purely for developers, this beta is public – so you can install it on your phone if you want to try it out, although as ever we wouldn’t recommend installing a beta OS on a phone you rely on for anything important. A beta release is an unfinished work in progress, and part of its function is to help people find and report the bugs before the final version ships.
So what’s new? Android 12 was a pretty big change from previous releases, and while Android 13 isn’t dramatically different there are some useful improvements here. There are improved privacy features and quick settings options, more control over app permissions, a new photo picker, Bluetooth LE audio and support for MIDI 2.0 over USB. None of these are must-upgrade-now features, but if you’re curious and have a spare compatible phone it’s always interesting to have a poke around. If you do you’ll find some new display settings and stylus support, more wallpaper colours and various interface tweaks too.
The final version of Android 13 will roll out later this year, most likely at Google I/O in the summer.
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