Google releases Android 13 for Pixel phones – coming soon to Samsung, OPPO, Motorola and more

After launching their Android 13 Developer Preview back in February, and several beta releases and updates since, Google has today announced that Android 13 is ready for launch. 

Starting with Pixel devices today, the Android 13 update will be rolling out later in the year to devices from Samsung, OPPO, Asus, HMD (Nokia phones), iQOO, Motorola, OnePlus, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, Xiaomi and more.

Android 13 features a number of new features, ranging from an expanded colour palette for their Material You theming engine which was announced in Android 12. The new Material You options includes more colour combinations, and also now extends to even more apps, so you can see more icon options for a cleaner overall look. The personalisd theme will also extend to your media player which will have a different look and feel based on what you’re listening to.

Bilingual users will find improved language support, with a new feature that will allow you to set language at a per app level – English, or your native language in one app, and your choice of language in another. 

You’ll also find improved privacy controls, which includes a new media picker which can restrict access to only media you want to share with an app, as well as protection for your clipboard – with Android 13 recognising sensitive data and clearing your clipboard after a period of time, so you don’t accidentally paste a password somewhere you didn’t want it.

Android 13 will also allow you to restrict access to notifications, so your apps will need to ask your permission before they can start sending you notifications – no more reminders from games your kids installed that you need to play them. 

Google is also bringing more options to work better with other devices. There’s a number of features, but the headline is that you’ll be able to copy content including URLs, pictures, video or text on your Android phone or tablet, and paste it on another device.  You will also see your messaging apps streamed to your Chromebook and back, without the need to install apps. 

Android13 will also see improved audio with a couple of new features. First, Android 13 will include Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, which is a lower latency audio profile that keeps your sound in sync in better quality, as well as broadcast audio to multiple devices at the same time.

After announcing a Pixel tablet is coming next year, Google is also making Android better for tablets. Tablets will be seeing improvements for multi-tasking thanks to a new taskbar which will let you see all your apps at a glance, and easily drag and drop apps into a split-screen view. 

Android 13 is also better with accidental touches for both palm and stylus’, registering both as separate touches so you get fewer phantom touches on your screen.

The Android 13 release is being rolled out to Pixel devices via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update. The list of Pixel devices which will receive the update includes:

• Pixel 4 / Pixel 4 XL
• Pixel 4a / Pixel 4a 5G
• Pixel 5
• Pixel 5a
• Pixel 6 / Pixel 6 Pro
• Pixel 6a

To check your Pixel phone for the update go to Settings > System > System update and click the “Check for update” button. It hasn’t arrived on any of my Pixel’s yet, so I may have to go flash the image later today.