the ideal time to test?
The third beta version of Android 13 is now available for phones. This update should bring so-called ‘platform stability’, or in other words a more error-free user experience. Google is now two months earlier in that phase compared to Android 12 last year. Here’s what you need to know about Android 13’s third beta.
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Android 13 beta 3
A new beta version of Android 13 is ready and with the third beta version we enter a whole new stage. It is expected to be the penultimate update before we can welcome the stable version of Android 13, and Google uses those latest updates to remove as many errors as possible from the software and optimize the operation.
So if you want to test Android 13 without encountering too many errors, now is the time to install the latest beta versions. You can read how to do that below.
New in Android 13 beta 3
As you can expect, most of the new Android 13 features have landed by now, but there are still a number of small improvements that have crept into this update. In the official changelog we read that Google has improved copying and pasting with the clipboard without giving more specific information. In the first beta, Google also launched a smarter version of the clipboard for Android that allows you to edit text and images before pasting them.
Also, for Pixel phones, the search bar has been improved and you can now see search suggestions appear when you type in a search query. That function is also related to a setting for the Pixel Launcher and you can also disable the suggestions.
Android 13’s smart clipboard at work
Material You and permissions
Google also fixed a bug with Material You’s color themes, which is the Android 13 design that lets the software’s interface take on the colors of your background. Since the first beta, you can choose from many more colors to match your wallpaper, but due to a bug most of the vibrant hues were not visible in the settings all this time.
Since the first beta, media storage permissions have also been split in Android. After all, an audio editing app doesn’t need access to your photos, and now there are permissions for: audio files, videos, images, and photos. Older apps don’t support these split permissions, and with the third beta, Google is adding a warning for users to see. This warns users that they are granting more rights to an older app than is actually necessary.
The main Android 13 features
With Android 13, first and foremost, there are more personalization options and new privacy and security features. Google improved haptic feedback, there’s a new photo picker and you can now edit the quick settings more easily. Material You colors have been improved with more colors and app icons that take over the colors. In addition, apps must first receive permission before they can send notifications.
It is also interesting that the Device Control, or the buttons for controlling smart home devices get a more prominent place on the lock screen. Google pushed the function in Android 12 to the side so that it no longer appeared in the power menu. You can discover all the improvements in Android 13 via the links below.
Getting started with Android 13
I have a Pixel phone
This beta version of Android 13 is available in the form of an Over The Air update for Google’s phones. These are: the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. You can register your phone for the beta program here and you will also receive all future beta versions as a simple update. There is also the option to flash the Android 13 ROM. We explain here how to do that.
I have a Pixel with the Android 12 beta
Still, it has made Google confusing for users who are still enrolled in the Android 12 beta program. They must first unsubscribe from that beta program and then re-enroll in the Android 13 beta program.
I have another android phone
If you don’t have a Pixel phone, there’s a chance you can still sign up to receive the beta via a handy update. You can if you have one of the specific devices that support the Android 13 beta from the brands: ASUS, Lenovo, Nokia, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme or Xiaomi. You can check whether your phone works with the beta via the Android Developers Blog.
If that is not the case, you can, just like last year with Android 12, flash a gsi or General System Image of Android 13 on your phone. You can find the necessary gsi here for devices with the ARM64 and x68_64 architecture. Keep in mind that the gsi can cause problems that can differ per device.
Android 13 timeline
Update 3 of Android 13 is the penultimate beta version before Google rolls out the stable version at the end of the summer. The last two updates revolve around ‘platform stability’. Major novelties are left behind and that gives Google time to fix errors on the one hand, but on the other hand developers can prepare their apps for the changes in Android 13. The latest beta version is a so-called ‘release candidate’ that is very close to the stable update.
Android 13 will be released for Pixel phones at the end of this summer. After that, other smartphone manufacturers will share a timeline for the launch of Android 13 for their phones. Google will not announce when the stable update will appear.
