All the leaks, release date rumors, beta news, more

Android 12 only just made its debut on a small selection of the world’s best smartphones, but we’re already looking ahead to Android 13. The next big iteration of Google’s mobile operating system should soon see early builds reach developer preview status. Still, there’s plenty of evidence and rumors hinting at upcoming Android 13 features and internal improvements even before that.

Below, we look at what you can expect from the forthcoming major Android version release.

Android 13: Name and release date

Before Android 10, Google named its OS versions after sweet treats. Although it has switched to a number publically, it often still refers to versions as confectionary internally. According to an AOSP commit, Android 13 is known as Tiramisu inside the company. However, don’t expect Google to use the coffee dessert name in any public manner.

As for Android 13’s release date, the first developer preview (DP) will likely launch in February 2022, with the final version dropping in the spring. Android 11 DP1 went live in February 2020, while the stable version launched in September 2020. Android 12 followed a similar schedule, launching its first DP in February 2021, with the stable offering hitting devices slightly later in October 2021.

Google has yet to confirm the Android 13 release schedule. Judging by Android 12’s release roadmap, we’ll likely see three developer previews with at least four planned betas leading up to the launch of the publicly-available stable release later this year.

See also: The history and evolution of Android

Android 13: Design changes

Android 12 brought one of the operating system’s most significant UI revamps in years with Material You. The new interface enables more personable customization options, from wallpaper-based color palette controls to more intuitive animations. Android 13 will likely build on this.

More Material You theming options

According to a rumor based on leaked code, Android 13 could extend the available color-theming options by offering four new palettes relating to specific shades or complementary hues.

These experiences include TONAL_SPOT, VIBRANT, EXPRESSIVE, and SPRITZ. While the first two options are strikingly similar, the latter two are a stark departure from Android 12’s current theming system. ‘Expressive’ seemingly leans on colors not directly sourced from the wallpaper, while ‘Spritz’ opts for a more grayscale, neutral selection.

This perhaps isn’t quite the granular control many users are looking for, but it’s a start. Better yet, we may see this feature debut on the upcoming stable version of Android 12L, but there’s an extremely slim chance of this happening.

Alternative lock screen clock setup

Android 13 could let users toggle between two clock styles on the lock screen. Per a screenshot published by XDA in an extensive first-look, users would be able to select a single line layout or the current double line layout.

Android 12 introduced several new utilities, including baked-in scrolling screenshot support and one-handed mode, smarter auto-rotate settings, and an AppSearch feature. But what could Android 13 bring?

More intuitive QR scanner support

QR code scanning is needlessly clumsy on Android, but this could be a thing of the past. A recent report suggests Android 13 could add a Show QR Scanner menu item that’ll allow users to scan codes from the lock screen. There’s also evidence of a quick toggle button when the notification shade is active. It’s currently unclear how these shortcuts may function, but they do seem to be more integrated into the OS.

Native Bluetooth LE Audio support

Wireless audio could get a welcome boost with Android 13. According to a pair of AOSP commits spotted by Mishaal Rahman, the next version of Android could be the first with full, baked-in support for Bluetooth LE Audio and the Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3). The codec is a pretty big deal, touting lower power usage and improved audio quality across supported devices.

Tap to transfer media controls

A surprise addition could bring smarter media sharing across multiple devices. According to leaked details from “an anonymous and trusted source,” Android Police uncovered a tap-to-transfer (TTT) system that’ll allow users to pass on media controls to other devices.

It’s unclear how the feature may work, but it would likely use short-range wireless tech, like NFC or UWB. Of course, that alone limits this feature’s compatibility with current devices. There’s no evidence in code that Google’s working on such a feature, so take this with a pinch of salt until we learn more.

Reworked audio output selector

Android 13 could rework the audio output picker, according to an Android Police report. An unnamed source provided screenshots of the feature, which seems to be a purely aesthetic redesign to better fit the Material You scheme.

‘Panlingual’ per-app language settings

If you’re multilingual, this could be the best addition to Android 13. According to a report, the next version of Android could add per-app language toggles. This would allow users to set specific languages for specific apps, separate from the system setting.

Again, there’s no evidence to suggest this will be a part of Android 13, but both XDA and Android Police have since posted screenshots of the feature hinting that it’s under development.

Secondary profiles for NFC payments

According to commits made back in July 2021 (h/t XDA), Android 13 could allow multiple users on a device to set up their own NFC payments service on their respective profiles.

Android 13: Under the hood upgrades

Current details suggest Google will make a few tweaks to Android 13 beneath the skin. Permissions handling and battery consumption may, once again, receive specific nip-tucks.

Notification runtime permission

Android 13 could add a new runtime permission to make notifications an opt-in experience for all apps (h/t XDA). Interestingly, this would allow users to control notifications, similar to how Android 12 commands microphone and camera access. This would greatly benefit those who seek overarching sway over rowdy apps.

The Android Resource Economy

Finally, one rumor suggests better power optimization could be on the cards thanks to TARE, or The Android Resource Economy.

According once again to XDA, the feature is reportedly a more complicated, credit-based power management system that allows or disallows tasks requested by apps based on how low a device’s battery is. It sounds pretty complex and there’s simply not enough data to explain it entirely, but it could be a feature to watch out for in the coming weeks.

Those are all the Android 13 features we know about so far. Are you excited about Google’s next OS version? What are you most excited to see? Be sure to let us know in the comments.