Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Android 13 has now officially entered beta, which brings it one step closer to its primetime release later in the year. While there’s still work to do, going into beta means that Google has shut down a good chunk of the features destined for the final version of Android 13. So, let’s take a look at what it’s like to use the latest and greatest version of Android, and should you dive in right away.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
At face value, Android 13 in beta form looks virtually identical to Android 12. Google’s Material You theme is still big and bold, with a large amount of space Quick Settings icons, white space in the Settings menu, home screen icons, and Google’s colorful widgets. Wallpaper color mapping works as before, though Android 13 lets you choose from a wider range of matching colors to theme your handset. With Android 12 there are now sixteen variants to choose from, four. The themed icon option remains a beta feature, as of Android 12. Annoyingly, it still doesn’t apply the theme to every third party app icon.
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So the customization options are a little more powerful, but not game-changingly. Unfortunately, those who haven’t been a fan of Materials until now will find no solace in Google’s continued investment in this particular interface design.
Google has made some minor cosmetic changes to the UI of the beta. The Power and Settings buttons have moved from the bottom of the quick settings menu to the bottom right corner. OK, but their proximity to each other now makes it a lot easier to press the power button instead of the settings icon. The timing is not completely left-aligned, even in the notification shade. These feel like changes for the sake of change rather than real reforms. There are equally minor changes to the look of the media player notification area, and there’s also an optional lock screen clock setup to choose from.
Android 13 looks like 12. Most of the changes are behind the scenes.
You’ll also see some settings menu changes, provided you have the patience to go through them all. The display size and text settings, for example, are now put together, complete with a new preview screen that shows how the changes affect the UI in real time. Do Not Disturb has gone back to its original name, removing the Priority Mode moniker. While certainly for the best, the futility of such a change shows there are few thumbs up looking to turn anything into Android HQ.
But overall, it’s hard to make any meaningful changes to how the Android 13 beta operates from day to day. A new, more powerful clipboard overlay allows you to edit and share both the text and images you copy. It appears in the same lower-left fashion as Google’s screenshot tool, complete with an edit button. You can see it in action in the screenshot below. It’s not a lot, but it’s a nice little quality of life that most people will find useful, if only once or twice.
In short this is the cosmetic nature of the first beta of Android 13. A lot has been done to change the existing formula, but no major changes have been made to the UI. It’s to be expected, though, as the big changes were already made with Android 12 and stuff you’ll almost certainly be sticking with for the next few years — or longer.
Focus on privacy and security
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
If you read Google’s blog post on the arrival of its Android 13 beta, you’ll no doubt know that the latest OS version is all about building on “the core themes of privacy and security.”
Android 13 is flush with popups, for starters asking for permission to allow apps to display notifications. It’s good that Google takes notification spam more seriously, but popups are a nuisance in themselves because they pop up at seemingly random intervals every time you open an app and ask for your permission constantly.
More from Google: Google Pixel 6 Pro revisited six months later
Speaking of permissions, one of the new features in the latest beta is more granular app access to your media files. There is now dedicated permission for accessing shared media files divided by audio, images and video file permissions. Previously, there was only one generic permission to access media files. It feels like a more organic change and, while seemingly minor, would help keep important documents a little more secure.
Android’s biggest changes continue to focus on giving users better control over their data and privacy.
It all follows Google’s recent campaign to give users more control over their data and privacy. Android 11 and 12 already revamped a lot of permission space, introduced the Privacy Dashboard to help users take a closer look at permissions, and automatically revoke permissions from apps you’ve accessed. Haven’t used for a long time. Looks like that’s where we’ll see improvements in the final release of Android 13. While these may not be particularly exciting changes and could arguably be added as feature drops rather than waiting for a full OS upgrade, they are certainly welcome additions to the tried and tested Android formula.
Android 13’s initial practical verdict: Yes… and?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Some of the cumulative niceties in the first Android 13 beta have been removed, including built-in support for better QR scanning, Bluetooth LE audio, integrated fast pairing, and changes to smart home controls. Completing the additions, is a new audio routing API that will help media apps anticipate how their media will be routed, as well as improved error reporting for Keystore and Keymint. But again, these are mostly behind the scenes changes that the users should not pay attention to.
However, much is still missing. I haven’t been able to activate the new private photo picker or see the rumored changes to multi-user handling, and the Pixel 6 Pro face unlock feature that appears to be in the works is still not implemented. Many other features of Android 13 are waiting for applications to support various new APIs as well.
Have you installed Android 13 beta?
8 votes
Yes
25%
no i have a pixel but i’m waiting
25%
no because i don’t have a pixel
50%
Based on my brief time with the first Android 13 beta, it’s a nice OS upgrade, but not one of the more exciting changes coming to the platform. Perhaps more meaningful improvements will be felt with larger screen devices. Still, it runs great on the mid-range Pixel 5 that I’ve installed it on, which bodes well for a full release in the coming months.
Android 13 is on the way, but don’t rush to install the beta just yet.
With all that in mind, I wouldn’t recommend you to install Android 13 beta just yet, especially if you’re happy on Android 12. There’s not much to find and play with right now, and Google still has work to do before all the expected features are up and running. But things are shaping up well.
continue reading: 5 Android 13 Features We’re Really Excited About
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