In recent months, Google’s release record for new Android versions has been all over the place. Android 12 was released at the beginning of October last year. Today marks the launch of Android 13.

It is expected that updates will start rolling out to Pixels starting today, and others like Samsung, Asus, HMD Global, iQOO, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, Xiaomi will join “later this year”.

What’s New?

Is there anything new? Besides an evolution of the Material You theme, the updated media player automatically changes its appearance based on what you’re listening to and the theme engine now supports icons from third-party apps.

In addition to assigning languages to specific apps, Bedtime mode is becoming even more customizable, with a dark theme and wallpaper dimming.

Your entire media library will not be accessed by apps just for sharing one item. Eventually, your clipboard history will be cleared. The apps that receive sensitive data, such as your email, phone number, or login credentials, will have to ask you explicitly for permission to send notifications, rather than having that capability by default.

It is now possible to track your head in spatial audio on Android, provided your headphones support the feature. If you have Bluetooth LE Audio accessories, you can expect lower latency Bluetooth sound, enhanced quality, and the ability to broadcast audio simultaneously to multiple devices.
You can now easily drag and drop any app in your library into split-screen mode by dragging it from the newly updated taskbar on tablets. Also, tablets now support palm rejection when a stylus is used, so accidental touches are no longer possible.
Talkback now supports HDR video and there’s a new media output switcher in Android 13. It won’t be long before you can copy the content, such as URLs, pictures, and texts, from your Android phone to your Android tablet. Your messaging apps will soon be able to stream to your Chromebook if you have one, so you can respond to chats from your laptop, rather than your phone.