Google released Android 12 in October 2021, and currently there are still many phones that haven't got the update. But that hasn't stopped Google from releasing an Android 13 developer preview that promises a ton of new features.
As the name implies, this version of Android 13 is intended for developers to test and see what parts need improvement. This update is not recommended for daily use as it is still unfinished and will definitely be full of bugs.
But if you are curious and have an idle Pixel phone, you can try the Android 13 developer preview by flashing the phone using the Android Flash Tool or with a system image. Currently Android 13 developer preview is available for the Pixel 4 series, Pixel 5 series, and Pixel 6 series.
Most of the features announced in this preview are aimed at developers, but there are some interesting features that are worth waiting for users. The following is a leak of the new features of Android 13, as quoted from Gizmodo, Friday (11/2/2022).
- New photo picker
Google introduced a new photo picker API for Android 13. With this new feature, users can share photos and videos with an app without having to give the app permission to view all the photos on the device.
Users can still share photos that are on their phones or those stored in the cloud, without giving access to all galleries. Google plans to bring this feature to Android 11 and later via a Google Play system update.
- App icons according to the theme
Google released the Material You theme system on Android 12 which allows users to set the phone's theme according to the selected wallpaper color scheme. In Android 13, Google extended this system to app icons so they can change colors according to the theme.
This feature will be present on Google Pixel phones first. But Google said they are already working with other vendors to release this feature more widely.
New features of Android 13 Photos: Google
- More updates via Google Play
Through Project Mainline, Google plans to release new features for applications through the Google Play Store rather than through operating system updates. This way, phones running different operating systems can still enjoy the same features.
- Support for large screens
Android 13 will follow in the footsteps of Android 12L to support large-screen devices such as tablets, foldable phones, and Chromebooks. There is currently no complete information about this support.
Google says the Android 13 developer preview will be released in February and March 2022, before transitioning to beta in April. The stable version is expected to be ready sometime in June or July before being released towards the end of the year.