Newsletter
Android has risen from being an open-source alternative to the Apple iPhone iOS and Palm OS to the global leader in the smartphone industry. With almost 3 billion active users as of 2021, it dominates the world’s smartphone market, controlling a whopping 70% of the global market share. Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi are the three largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, and all of them run on a version of Android.
On August 15, 2022, tech giant Google launched the newest version of their Google Pixel devices, such as the Pixel 6a and Pixel Pro. The update is now also available for all Android devices. This latest system update is called Android 13, and it boasts new features to captivate even more users. This system update is the best yet.
Here’s what’s new:
What’s New in Android 13
Android 13 focuses on user experience, as this latest operating system enables you to customize your devices according to your style. This version offers a wealth of helpful new features. You can now have different language preferences on each app and more choices of color themes for more apps. You can also copy and paste text and media from one device to another. This newest release also boasts improved privacy controls and much more.
Top 5 Android 13 Features To Look Out For
Features like a native QR code scanner, quick settings tiles, and even an improved media player design came with this latest android version. They also added a new Bluetooth setting called Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). This provides a new audio standard with lower latency that translates to better sound quality. These are some pretty impressive features, but here are the top five:
1. Android Material You
A new appearance setting based on Google’s Material You is now available. With Android 12, you can choose only four wallpaper colors and four primary colors. However, with Android 13, you can select 16 on each. You can now modify non-Google apps to match your phone’s theme and color scheme. This new feature enables greater customization of your home screen or lock screen and enhances the style of your phone.
2. Specific Language Setting Per App
A top feature request from the smartphone community is for additional language settings. This app language feature has been released with Android 13, meaning you can now set a per-app language. You can keep English—or whatever language you choose—as the main one for the system and put other apps into a different language for each.
3. Improvements in RCS Messaging
Android 13 has definitely stepped up its privacy game. This version now offers end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations, thanks to Google’s efforts in working with carriers to switch from short message service (SMS) to rich communication services (RCS). Later this year, group chats will be encrypted as well.
4. More Security Updates
Security and privacy are Google’s top priorities. Each time a newer version of the operating system comes out, it gets more private and secure. With that, it gives Android users greater peace of mind.
Android 13 Photo Picker
The new photo picker is more private this time around. Unlike in Android 12, where you give third-party apps access to all your photos, this more recent version lets you opt-in to that. You can now limit access to images and videos by third-party apps.
Secured Clipboard
This latest android version auto-deletes your clipboard history if it detects that you copy text with sensitive data such as your email address, phone number, or login details.
For example, you wanted to buy some essential oils. You copied your credit card information from the notes feature of your android phone and pasted it on the payment section. If you already have Android 13, then it will delete this info as soon as you are done.
Enhanced Privacy
Another privacy-preserving feature came with the new Android 13, meaning you now have a separate nearby Wi-Fi device permission option. You no longer have to grant apps access to location tracking when scanning for nearby Wi-Fi networks. It also features a new privacy dashboard that logs which apps have accessed your location, camera, microphone, and other permissions in the last seven days.
5. Android 13 Notification Permission
Attention is an expensive commodity. That’s why the new version features new non-intrusive notifications setting. You can choose which apps and services can access your attention. With this updated OS, your Android phone apps cannot notify you by default.
For example, you can allow ticket-booking apps to notify you on upcoming trips while keeping less urgent apps from cluttering your notifications panel..
The Android 13 is Packed With Many Helpful Features
The evolution of technology over the last decade has been simply spectacular. Since their inception, the functionality of smartphones just keeps improving as each new version gets released. This latest Android 13 proves why it dominates the global smartphone industry.