A number of file formats have been added to the Android operating system to extend its compatibility. According to previous reports, Android 13 running Pixel smartphones now support the exFAT file format. The other OEMs have licensed support from Microsoft, which owns the format, so this was somewhat perplexing. Several Linux, Android, and other device kernels were developed as a result of exFAT’s introduction.
As a competitor to exFAT, Microsoft-pioneered NTFS offers a completely different experience. In Kernel version 5.15, read/write capabilities were introduced. In August, Mishaal Rahman of Esper reported on a kernel based on Android 13. To enable support for it in the operating system, the volume daemon, which is Android’s storage mounting function, needed to be modified.
It can only be modified by Google. Android’s NTFS format support is, indirectly, up to Google. A program that fixes common NTFS errors has just been built and integrated by Google, according to Rahman. It may indicate that the company is actively working on NTFS support, which may benefit Android 13 devices, as well as future Android versions.
During the initial phase, however, it may only be available on certain smartphones or only on Google Pixel handsets. The NTFS file format will be supported by all Android 14 smartphones. Take the information with a grain of salt, since nothing has been officially confirmed.
