Tag: Android 13

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Some Google Pixels received an Android 12 update instead of Android 13

It wouldn’t be a major Google software release if there wasn’t something that went wrong.

Google started pushing the stable Android 13 update to Pixel devices on August 15th, and already some users have encountered an issue. For some Pixel devices, the latest update is actually to Android 12, not version 13. Several reports have emerged on Twitter and the r/GooglePixel subreddit about users receiving a 2GB Android 12 update on their Pixel phone.

Per Android Police, some brave users took a risk and installed the mystery Android 12 update and claimed it simply re-installed the Android 12 update and seemingly didn’t bump the OS build number.

Other users noted they initially received the Android 13 upgrade but weren’t able to update right away. When they went back to download the new software a few hours later, the Android 12 update had replaced it. Moreover, some users who installed the Android 12 update were able to download the Android 13 update after.

Screenshot credit: u/fooldomus

Android Police notes the issues seems to primarily impact the Pixel 6, Pixel 4a and Pixel 5a (which isn’t available in Canada). Overall, the problem doesn’t seem that widespread, but it still impacted a bunch of Pixel users.

If you’re in the same boat with an Android 12 update on your Pixel, you might be able to trigger the Android 13 update by rebooting the device. If that doesn’t work, you’ll just need to wait for Google to fix the problem on its end unless you’re brave enough to redownload Android 12.

Source: Twitter, Reddit, (2) Via: Android Police

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Android 13 now available for Pixel phones, AOSP

Android 13 is finally here, at least, if you’ve got a Pixel. Google started rolling out the official Android 13 update to eligible Pixel phones on August 15th.

Alongside Pixel phones, Google also pushed the Android 13 update to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). That means Android 13’s code is now available for everyone. While that doesn’t mean your phone will get Android 13 right away, access to AOSP can help speed things along.

Those who have followed the Android 13 developer previews and beta releases over the last several months likely won’t find many surprises in the stable version of Android 13. It’s a fairly modest upgrade over Android 12, with a focus on refinding some features — like Material You — and adding various quality of life improvements.

How to download Android 13

Image credit: Google

Before we get into what’s new, let’s talk about how to get the update. For Pixel users, it’s pretty simple: open Settings > System > System update. The update should appear there once it’s available for your device, although it could take some time to show up (Google likes to roll out these updates slowly to ease pressure on servers and catch any serious bugs that sneak through). My Pixel 6a is running the Android 13 beta and hasn’t gotten the stable update yet, so expect it could take a while.

It’s also worth noting that people with the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, or 6a won’t be able to downgrade back to Android 12. As spotted by 9to5Google, a Google warning on the developers website where it hosts factory images for its devices says Android 13 includes a “bootloader update that increments the anti-roll back version.” If you’ve got one of these devices, you may want to hold off until you’re sure you won’t need to go back to Android 12 for some reason.

Finally, although updating through the system update option on your phone is the easiest way, the impatient among us can download the factory images or over-the-air (OTA) images from Google’s developers website and install them manually. Unless you know what you’re doing, though, you’re probably better of waiting for the update to show up on your phone automatically.

Some of Android 13’s best new features

GIF credit: Google

Instead of an exhaustive list of new features (because there are a lot!), we’ve compiled a quick list of some of the best new features in Android 13:

GIF credit: Google

  • Set languages for individual apps instead of changing it system-wide (great for people who speak multiple languages).
  • Private photo picker lets you share specific images with certain apps, instead of the whole media library.
  • Immersive listening experience with headphones that support head tracking via Spatial Audio.
  • Improved connectivity with ChromeOS.
  • Better tablet UI with new taskbar and split-screen functionality.
  • Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio support.
  • Expanded Material You colour options.
  • Cinematic wallpapers.
  • Improved launcher search on Pixel phones.
  • Opt-in notifications.
  • Quick-access QR code scanner.
  • And more…

Source: Google Via: Android Central

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Samsung’s Android 13-based One UI 5 beta arrives in select countries

Samsung’s Android 13-based One UI 5 beta is now available in some countries, including South Korea, Germany, and the U.S. — bummer for Canadian Samsung fans.

Per Android Police, Samsung seems to have jumped the gun a little and started releasing the beta ahead of making an official announcement (likely, the company will release one soon). Moreover, Samsung usually starts deploying One UI betas in South Korea and then expands to other countries a few weeks later — that doesn’t appear to be the case this time.

So far, the One UI 5 beta update clocks in at 2.5GB, sports the August 2022 security patch and brings several new features. We’ll likely learn more about the new features as the One UI 5 beta becomes widely available, but some early additions include:

  • Up to 16 preset colour themes based on the current wallpaper (this is in addition to 12 colour options for the home screen, icons, and quick settings panel).
  • The ability to stack multiple widgets on top of each other (this was available on some phones in One UI 4.1).
  • Improvements to the Camera app, including Pro mode and the zoom bar.

Android Police says that there are only limited spots for testing the One UI 5 beta. Those interested should grab the Samsung Members app (available on the Play Store or Galaxy Store) and then use it to register for the One UI Beta Program. Once registered, users should be able to download the One UI beta like any other software update.

It’s worth noting, however, that the One UI 5 beta currently isn’t available in Canada. That said, getting the Members apps now could give you a headstart if and when the beta becomes available. Moreover, like with the Android Beta Program on Pixel phones, installing the One UI beta won’t affect your apps or data, but you will need to format your device if you leave the beta.

Source: Android Police

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Android 13 may not arrive until September

Google’s next big Android update may not arrive until September, as implied by details in a recent security bulletin.

Spotted by Android Police, Google’s Android 13 monthly security bulletin notes that the next major Android update will ship with a default security patch level of “2022-09-01.” In other words, the Android 13 update will ship with the September 2022 security patch.

The document goes on to detail several fixes included in the September security patch, noting that Android 13 devices “with a security patch level of 2022-09-01 or later are protected against these issues.”

While this all suggests a September release for Android 13, Android Police points out that Pixels might get it earlier. With last year’s Android 12 release, Google rolled out the update to Pixel devices two weeks after releasing the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Android 13 build.

With that in mind, it’s hard to say what will happen with Android 13 and Pixel phones this year. Google made the Android 13 developer preview (the stage before the public beta) available in February 2022, a month earlier than past developer previews. The Android 13 beta similarly came out earlier than usual in April — Google usually announces the beta at the I/O developer conference in May.

In the latest Android 13 beta news, Google just added the newly-released Pixel 6a to the list of supported Pixels. That means Pixel 6a owners can head to the Android Beta Program website and opt-in to join the beta. Doing so sends an over-the-air (OTA) update that will bump your Pixel 6a from Android 12 to Android 13 Beta 4.1. Learn more about that here.

Source: Google Via: Android Police

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Google is rolling out Android 13 Beta 4.1 to Pixel users

Google is rolling out Android 13 Beta 4.1 to Pixel smartphones with some bug fixes.

This minor update addresses four concerns with the previous update:

  • Fixed an issue that prevented an app from enabling or disabling Bluetooth if it didn’t have the BLUETOOTH_CONNECT permission, even though the app was targeting an API level where the permission is not required. (Issue #232107689)
  • Fixed issues that sometimes caused a device to crash and reboot when connecting to certain WiFi networks. (Issue #237308339, Issue #237886229, Issue #237878437)
  • Fixed an issue where Meet connectivity could drop while driving.
  • Fixed an issue where the system could incorrectly interpret GPS data.

Beta 4 didn’t really bring anything special for consumers as it was one of the last updates before the final release of Android 13.

Via: 9to5Google

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Google to skip Android 13L because Android 13 is good enough

Last year, with the introduction of Android 12, Google also released Android 12L, which essentially is a version of the operating system optimized for large-screen devices like tablets and foldables. 12L added better multitasking support, a two-column notification slider, redesigned widgets and more.

Now, according to AndroidPolice, Android 12L might have been a “one-time spin-off” and there likely won’t be an Android 13L.

Quoting a tweet from Mishaal Rahman, former XDA Developers editor-in-chief and current technical editor at Esper, the report explains how Android 12 was released as API level 31, followed by Android 12L as level 32. Since then, Android 13 has emerged as API 33, and Google has already hinted at Android 14 being API level 34 in AOSP (Android Open Source Project), suggesting that Android 13L will likely be skipped.

This is likely a result of Android 13 incorporating all elements on Android 12L, allowing the OS to provide a “more rounded OS experience” across devices. 12L served as a testing ground for Google to add all big-screen optimizations, and port of all the updates to its release of Android 13, making an Android 13L build completely unnecessary.

In other Android-related news, Android 13 Beta 3 is now available for Pixel Phones. Read more about it below:


Android 13 Beta 3 is now available for Pixel phones


Android 13 Beta 3 is now available for Pixel phones

Google has released notes for Beta 3, but it now says the factory and OTA images will be “available soon,” according to 9to5Google. 


Read Now

Source: AndroidPolice

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Google releases Android 13 Beta 2.1 update to fix some issues

Google is oddly rolling out a mid-cycle update to Android 13 with Beta 2.1 today.

This update is to address four issues that end-users and developers have reported on. Below are the fixes:

  • Fixed an issue where typing in the search bar resulted in a blank list of suggestions.
  • Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart when turning on hotspot.
  • Fixed an issue where a continuous call dialing sound could be heard in the background during a phone call.
  • Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart after disconnecting from Android Auto

Despite the update, 9to5Google says that the update hasn’t fixed the Pixel Launcher search bar issue.

This is an over-the-air update for the Beta 2 update, which means any Pixel device from 4 and newer.

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Phones with Android 13 at launch will reportedly feature Huawei technology

Google is reportedly planning on including the Enhanced Read-Only File System (EROFS) in Android 13 with system created by Huawei engineer Xiang Gao.

The feature offers a benefit over other existing file systems as well as space-saving compression and speed, and it’ll lead to faster updates and less storage space being used, according to Esper.

Huawei developed EROFS to be included in the Linux kernel, which is at the base of Android. Back in 2019, the U.S blocked Huawei from using American services, including Google, which is why we haven’t seen an Android-powered Huawei handset in several years. Most compression systems also take performance hits, but the EROFS system fixes this.

With Google working with EROFS, it means that devices that launch with Android 13 and have Google services built-in will have these services. This should include most of the flagship Android devices that launch next year in Canada.

That said, until U.S. sanctions lift on Huawei, we still won’t see a device sporting Android 13.

Source: Android Authority, Esper

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Android 13 public beta is live now with lots of new features

After months of betas, Google finally dropped the full version of Android 13 for Pixel devices.

The update is rolling out today and includes tons of subtle new features like a new Now Playing notification, better-theming options, Google Wallet and more.

This year’s update is less focused on reimagining Android and instead seems like it’s full of refinements that will ideally make Android 13 a little more user-friendly than Android 12, at least visually. Behind the scenes, some changes hopefully set the stage for significant Android updates to come.

Beta rolling out today!

Google mentioned that the beta is rolling out today. Usually, at past I/O events, it rolls out the beta for Pixel phones and then supported devices from other manufacturers will also start rolling out a little more sporadically.

On stage, Google showed off that OnePlus, Nokia, Oppo, Lenovo, Asus, ZTE and more will all be getting the beta updates.

Pushing RCS Chat

Onstage at Google I/O, the company made a big show about going that all manufacturers would switch over to RCS chat to help provide users with encrypted private chats, unlike traditional SMS messages.

Google has been pushing RCS for years as the Android alternative to Android, but I’m not sure if this latest bit of showmanship will make a difference. Hopefully, it can, though, as Android and RCS chats get even closer to Chromebooks. We’ve been waiting for Android and Chrome OS to get closer for years, and this year, that is finally happening.

New Now playing notification

One of the more visual flairs to be stuck in Android 13 is a new Now Playing interface on your lock screen and in the notification shade. It looks really nice and uses the album art in the card which seems pretty unique.

Google has also added a more squiggly line to this system which looks incredible. It was a bit weird that Google showed off this squiggle so much around the release of Android 12 and then never really used it in the OS; therefore, I’m excited that it’s finally here.

Better Smart home control

An update is coming to the smart home control toggles, so now users no longer need to unlock their phone to use the shortcuts that appear on your lock screen when you hold down the power button.

This is pretty sweet, but it’s not on by default, so you need to enable it within your phone’s settings.

Google Wallet

The new Google Wallet is vastly improved over the old version and at a baseline, it functions more like the Apple Wallet. This means you can store boarding passes, car keys, vaccine cards and more.

Google is even loading up Google wallet with the ability to take driver’s licenses, but that likely will need government approval where ever you are.

According to Google, the new Google Wallet app is rolling out to Android and Wear OS devices in the coming weeks.

Better foldable device and tablet integrations

Now on foldable devices, the notification shade is more significant to take advantage of the larger interior screen on foldable.

There’s also a new consistent menu bar that stays along the bottom of the screen like the Chrome OS taskbar. It’s pretty cool and seems very handy.

To continue down this path google has updated 20 of its apps to be optimized for larger screens. This includes Maps, YouTube Music and Messages. Even some third-party apps like Tiktok and FaceBook are revamping their apps for tablet-sized Android devices.

Better theme controls

One of the most exciting updates in Android 12 (at least on Pixels) was the new device theme options. However, some users found that the colour palette that Google offered them was a little lacklustre.

That all changes in Android 13 now that Google presents users with 16 colour combos instead of just four.

Another pain point in Google’s heavy-handed customization efforts last year was that third-party apps don’t play nice with the new universal colour icons. This might change with the new update since Google has now published the code so other developers can take advantage of the colour theming.

This likely won’t spur all Android developers to adopt this new icon style, but, it will get most of them.

Google Cast controls are spreading

Google glazed over this announcement at I/O 2022, but Casting technology is coming to cars running Android Automotive like the Polestar 2 and from Chromebooks.

Improved QR scanner

Better late than never, Google has added a quick access QR scanner to Android. Now you can place a quick toggle above your notifications that opens up a new scanning interface.

This new interface is a simple camera, but instead of the QR code’s link popping up in the middle of the screen, it appears along the bottom to make it easy to open with one hand. Hopefully, other manufacturers will notice this and bring it to more QR code interfaces.

Silent night

Google has tweaked how the silent mode works on Pixel phones in Android 13 by removing a lot of the vibrations from the phone as well as the sounds.

This is likely to be more controversial, so we’ll need to go test it more in the full release to see how it really feels.

A new clipboard

Now in Android 13 copy/paste looks a bit different. Whenever you copy/cut something, it will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen as a bubble, similar to the screenshot interface.

Also like when you take a screenshot, you can tap on the copied text and edit it easily if you want to change it slightly before you paste it.

To take this to the next level, you can even cloud copy/paste between Android and Chrome OS just like you can with an iPhone and a MacBook.

More to come…

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Android 13 to make it more difficult for sideloaded apps to use Accessibility API

Android 13 will bring new restrictions on sideloaded apps to make it more difficult for hackers to inject malware into devices. This means that sideloading will still be available, but that the process will be slightly different.

According to Mishaal Rahman, the senior technical editor at Esper, Google won’t allow sideloaded apps to use the Accessibility API starting with Android 13. This API can be misused because it gives an app complete control of your Android device.

Android 13 won’t target apps downloaded from Google Play Store and is focused on user-acquired APK files from third-party sources that aren’t considered trustworthy.

Google told Esper that Android 13 might block users from giving accessibility permissions to sideloaded apps. The service will be grayed out, and tapping it prompts the message, “for your security, this setting is currently unavailable.”

Google’s system will figure out whether an app has come from the Play Store or another source during installation.

Source: Esper