True to the schedule announced last winter, Google is continuing to publish betas of its Android operating system. Beta 2 of Android 13 is therefore downloadable on the occasion of Google I/O.
Dedicated to developers, and especially to creators of apps for the Android mobile operating system, Google I/O is traditionally an opportunity for Mountain View to detail the version of the OS to be released the following fall. Android 13, the first beta of which has been available since the spring, is therefore placed in the spotlight there. Its “beta 2” made official this evening will be offered for download in the wake of the opening keynote of the conference, not only on Pixels, but also on a selection of smartphones from third-party brands, the firm tells us.
An Android 13 focused on personalization
In the news department, the elements detailed in Google’s first communication about Android 13 are in order. We note for example the enrichment of the personalization component of the devices, such as the possibility of customizing the color themes of the icons of Google apps, but also third parties, or even of defining themes for the said icons. Also appears the choice of the language applied to each application, practical for multilingual users. Google also highlights options relating to privacy, with the possibility of individually choosing photos and videos (in Google Photos) to share with loved ones. In the same vein, the clipboard history will be emptied automatically to prevent malicious applications from spying on the user’s data, who will also be notified when an app accesses this same clipboard.
This new beta comes with announcements related to Google apps. We note the extension of the alert service in the event of an earthquake to new countries, the enrichment of Google Wallet including in particular identity cards and driving licenses (in the United States), or the appearance of encryption end-to-end group conversations using the RCS messaging protocol (with Google Messages) by the end of the year.
Added to this are some improvements related to Android and connected objects, such as the extension of the Fast Pair service, making it easier to pair headphones from more third-party manufacturers to an Android smartphone. Finally, Google adds the Audio Switch function which automates the connection switch between smartphone and other products according to current uses. As I/O is intended to provide a glimpse of the future, all of these features are expected by the end of 2022.