Google Announces Android 13; Better App Themes And Privacy Incoming

Google has released the first developer beta of Android 13, its future mobile operating system. The upgrade gives us a sneak peek at the Android 12 successor's new features. To name a few, there are new language controls, improved themes, and enhanced privacy features on the list.

Google's Android 13 includes a slew of improvements. However, the interface receives the most attention. Android 12 was mostly focused on the Material You theme, but with Android 13, Google is taking customizability to the next level.

Better App Themes And Privacy Inline

Rather than being limited to Google apps, dynamic app icons are now available for all apps. The theme icons feature allows app icons to take on a color that matches the backdrop, but it also supports monochromatic app icons.

Google is focusing on privacy as well, and with Android 13, it is borrowing a page from Apple's playbook. In Android 13, users will be able to choose the amount of authorization they want to give an app in terms of access to the gallery app, among other things. A new photo picker will allow users to grant the app access to the full gallery or just a few selected photos during the process.

This photo picker feature is available in Apple's iOS 15, and it allows you to configure the permissions for a specific app. However, Google does not want to confine this functionality to Android 13, and instead wants to make it available to all phones running Android 11 and higher versions in the future.

Android 13 Developer Previews

Google also highlighted some of the Android 13 under-the-hood modifications. For example, the Wi-Fi permission has been updated to allow apps to discover and connect to Wi-Fi hotspots without having to determine the phone's location. The next Android version's improved language options will allow users to specify a language per-app basis, allowing one app to use English while another uses Hindi.

Google is also working to change the way OS upgrades are currently distributed. It stated that it will continue to invest in Project Mainline, which focuses on delivering upgrades through Google Play rather than through operating system updates. It is suggested that regular Android users not to install the Android 13 developer preview, as it is intended for developers and testers. It's compatible with the Pixel 4, Pixel 5, and the Pixel 6 smartphones and tablets.

During the months of February and March, Google intends to offer further developer previews, while betas following in April. The stable release of Android 13 is expected in June or July, with the official release coming later in the year.