Last February, Google announced Privacy Sandbox on Android as a way to provide safer advertising techniques that preserve user privacy and keep the industry “healthy.” Privacy Sandbox is now launching in beta on Android 13 devices.
The Privacy Sandbox Beta provides new APIs that are designed with privacy at the core, and don’t use identifiers that can track your activity across apps and websites. Apps that choose to participate in the Beta can use these APIs to show you relevant ads and measure their effectiveness.
Privacy Sandbox works without using cross-app, device identifiers (like Advertising ID,) which Google has been working to curtail. This approach estimates the “kinds of ads you might be interested in, and save the interests temporarily on your device.”
In Settings > Privacy > Ads (though it might differ by OEM), you’ll see a new Privacy Sandbox menu with a high-level toggle to turn on/off the “ads privacy beta.”
Interests estimated by Android will list what “Android periodically estimates your top interests based on the apps you use” are. This is powered by the Topics API. Example categories include: Arts & Entertainment, Dance, Local news, Movies, Outdoors, Real Estate, and Stocks & Bonds.
Topics are recognizable categories that are inferred based on the apps you use. Apps and advertising platforms can use them to decide what ads may be relevant to you. Topics are selected entirely on your device, so the information about the apps you use isn’t shared with external parties. You will be able to see and control your topics in your device settings.
Topics API
In turn, developers and applications that use the Privacy Sandbox APIs “can ask Android to use those interests to show you more relevant ads.” You can block an interest and “it won’t be added to the list again unless you unblock it.” However, “you may still see some related ads.”
There will also be an Apps that estimate interests list, with users able to block individual applications that use the Fledge API.
FLEDGE introduces a new way to show ads based on “custom audiences” defined by app developers and the previous interactions within their app. This information and associated ads are stored locally, so that no individual identifiers are shared with external parties.
Fledge API
Other apps will also be able to see those saved interests and show you related advertising.
Meanwhile, Privacy Sandbox includes the SDK Runtime and Attribution Reporting API to measure how effective an ad is. Advertisers “can temporarily save data with Android about your interactions between their ads and apps. The amount of data they can save is restricted and will be deleted regularly.” Additionally, switching off the Privacy Sandbox toggle will delete this ad measurement data at any time.
Googleis rolling out Privacy Sandbox “gradually” via Play services with a server-side configuration determining whether you’re enrolled. It’s “starting with a small percentage of Android 13 devices,” and you will get a system notification when the Privacy Sandbox Beta is live.
As smartphones continue to balloon in size, be that in terms of dimensions or smaller screen bezels, utilizing the split-screen mode makes it easier to manage. The split-screen process has been altered slightly in Android 13, but we’re going to show you just how to master this extra mode.
This feature was first introduced back in older versions of Android and back then, the method was relatively simple thanks to the three-button navigation method. As OEMs and Android have moved on from on-screen buttons to free-form gestures, there have been several core changes that — annoyingly — make entering split-screen when running Android 11 through Android 13 just a little more cumbersome.
Android Nougat allowed you to simply enter your recent app switcher and drag-and-drop apps to the top and bottom of your display to have them running simultaneously. Since Android Pie, the recent app switcher now uses swipes to dismiss or close any running applications — which is an important reason why this split-screen method has changed since Pie through Android 13.
Those with smaller displays might not find this particularly useful; heck, you might not use the feature at all. That said, a prime example when split-screen apps are useful is if you want to watch a video and browse the web simultaneously. The split-screen mode in Android is actually a really great way to properly multitask on your smartphone, especially if you have a big phone like the Galaxy S22 Ultra or even the Pixel 7 Pro.
Launch the first app that you want to use in split-screen multitasking — this is not necessary if you have recently opened the app you want to use.
Now enter the recent apps screen.
Swipe up from the home bar in Android 13 when using gestures.
Swipe up from the pill-button if using 2-button navigation (often disabled in Android 12+).
Tap the recents (square) button if using 3-button navigation.
Navigate to the app you want to have at the top of your display in split-screen.
Tap the kebab menu (three dots) within the Recents app switcher or hold the app icon on some devices to activate the mini menu.
Now tap “Split-top” on Pixel phones or “Split-screen” on some other Android phones.
On Samsung Galaxy phones the process is streamlined further. Pressing and holding the app icon within the Recents menu in One UI 5.0 (Android 13) allows you to place at either side of your screen with a pop-up menu section letting you select a second app for a split-screen view.
Now you can select the secondary app either from the recent app view or pick an app from your home screen or app drawer.
The secondary app will now appear in the lower half of your display.
In landscape, apps will be held on the left and right halves of your display.
This will only work when viewing applications in portrait rather than landscape, though. Some apps may also not allow you to put them into split-screen — such as Pokemon Go and many other games. You may see a black or blank screen in a portion of your display if an app does not support split-screen mode on Android 13.
How to exit split-screen mode in Android 13
There are a number of ways to exit split-screen mode on your device. This makes it easier to choose between closing the dual app view and even lets you quickly return courtesy of the Recents app menu and “App pairs” functionality.
When two apps are running side-by-side, simply drag the middle-positioned black bar to scrub down or up to open the corresponding application in full-screen mode.
Alternatively, if using the gesture navigation method, swipe upward to exit to your home screen. Reopening the Recents app menu will preserve the split-screen apps as an “App pair” that you can return to or dismiss.
How to resize apps when in split-screen view
You can resize each split-screen app slice on Android Pie right through to Android 12, but Android 13 takes things a step further, as you can double-tap the separating line or bar and this will switch the positions of any apps you currently have open. Here’s how to do it:
With two apps open in split-screen view tap and hold the black bar separating both app instances. Drag up or down to resize to suit your preferences.
Dragging the separating bar to the bottom of your screen will open the upper application in full screen. Conversely, dragging upward to the edge of your screen will open the bottom application.
This method works when in split-screen landscape mode, but may differ on your specific Android 13 device.
To switch the positions of each application, double-tap the separating bar and in most cases a smooth transition will move the application. On Samsung phones, you may see a dual-arrow icon after double-tapping that you can press to switch positions quickly.
You can also “save” your favorite app pairings by tapping the “star” icon to quickly launch two of your favorite apps into split-screen mode on Galaxy devices.
Pixel phones offer two lockscreen shortcuts that are locked to Google Wallet and Home, but Android 13 QPR2 reveals possible work on letting users change that.
At the bottom left, you have device controls to quickly toggle on/off as well as adjust smart home tiles that you’ve selected to appear. Android 13 conveniently added the ability to “control external devices without unlocking.”
Meanwhile, Wallet is in the right corner. In December, Google made it so that a tap opens the full Google Wallet app on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. On older Pixel phones, you get another intermediary screen (from Cards & Passes) that quickly loads your carousel of stored cards.
At the moment, your only options are to enable or disable each shortcut.
Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 reveals work on letting you select other functionality. In addition to Home and Wallet, you’ll be able to choose from the flashlight, camera, and QR code scanner.
You currently aren’t able to select any app as a shortcut, which is something that Samsung allows. Rather, you’ll most likely stick to that predefined list, which presumably includes none, just like the implementation the Nothing Phone just added in beta.
So, here's a fun one. Nothing OS 1.5.1 (Android 13 Beta 2) contains various fun features… Including the ability to customize the lockscreen shortcuts!
Google started working on it in their latest beta (QPR2). But Nothing implemented it themselves 🙂 pic.twitter.com/yWj4G0jDiw
Meanwhile, Google is making it so that you have to “Press and hold to activate” the shortcuts compared to the current simple tap. That would be especially necessary in the case of flashlight and camera shortcuts to prevent accidental, in-pocket activations.
<string name=”keyguard_affordance_press_too_short”>Press and hold to activate</string>
Lastly, we’ve enabled a very early look at what the Pixel UI change to the lockscreen “Shortcuts” might look like. It clearly doesn’t work right now, but it’s somewhat modeled after the existing Wallpaper & style interface:
The year in Pixel updates gets underway today with the Android 13 January security patch for the Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7 and 7 Pro.
There are 20 security issues resolved in the Android 13 January patch dated 2023-01-01 and 40 for 2023-01-05. Vulnerabilities range from high to critical.
In the most recent Android Security & Privacy Year in Review, Google notes that “no critical security vulnerabilities affecting the Android platform were publicly disclosed without a security update or mitigation available for Android devices.” Additionally, there was an 84% year-over-year jump in security patches during Q4 2018 compared to the prior year.
The dedicated bulletin for Google devices lists eight additional security fixes, with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro featuring their own build for Australia’s Telstra.
Pixel 7 gets seven fixes and additions with January 2023 update
After rolling out the January 2023 update for the Pixel 7 this morning, Google has detailed what’s fixed and added, as well as listing other currently supported phones.
The Pixel’s January 2023 update adds support for Spatial Audio, and the Pixel Buds Pro will get the required update in the “coming weeks” with head tracking as well.
The Pixel 7 benefits from everything, including improved under-display fingerprint performance, which is also for the Pixel 6a.
Use the following device key to interpret the Pixel January 2023 changelog:
Fixes are available for all supported Pixel devices unless otherwise indicated below.
*[1] Included on Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
*[2] Included on Pixel 6a, Pixel 7
*[3] Included on Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Audio
Add support for Spatial Audio with certain devices and accessories *[1]
Biometrics
Additional improvements for fingerprint recognition and response in certain conditions *[2]
Bluetooth
Fix for issue occasionally preventing certain Bluetooth Low Energy devices or accessories from pairing or reconnecting
Fix for issue preventing audio from playing over certain headphones or accessories while connected in certain conditions
Camera
Fix for issue occasionally causing captured photos to appear corrupted or distorted while zoomed in *[3]
Display & Graphics
Fix for issue occasionally preventing display from waking or appearing turned off while device is powered on *[3]
User Interface
Fix for issue occasionally causing UI to display in landscape layout while device is held in portrait mode
As Android 13 rolls out to more phones, the update is bringing the once Pixel-exclusive Personal Safety app to more devices including those from Sony Xperia and Vivo.
On Pixel phones today, the Personal Safety app includes a full suite of features designed to make sure you’re ready should any type of disaster strike. You can add/edit critical medical information, assign emergency contacts, get alerts for nearby crises, and on some devices even call for help when a car crash is detected.
While this was originally built as an exclusive set of features for Pixel phones, with the release of Android 13, Google has decided to make Personal Safety available as an option for other phone makers. As noted by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, there is already a small selection of phones that are gaining access to Personal Safety as part of Android 13.
While Samsung certainly has the broadest profile of devices on Android 13 today, no Galaxy phones are currently opted in for Google’s safety suite. Instead, the current list of non-Pixel Android devices with Personal Safety contains phones from Sony Xperia, Vivo, iQOO, and Nothing.
Nothing Phone (1)
Sony Xperia 5 IV
Sony Xperia 1 IV
iQOO 7
iQOO 8 Pro
iQOO 9 SE
iQOO 9 Pro
iQOO 9T
iQOO I2202
iQOO 11
iQOO Neo7
Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X90
Vivo X90 Pro
The actual experience of using Personal Safety on these phones is straightforward and quite similar to the app’s older (pre Android 13) experience on Pixels. Rather than appearing as a dedicated app in the drawer, you can navigate to Personal Safety through the Settings app, in the “Safety & emergency” section.
From there, as expected, you can manage your emergency information and get enrolled for alerts. However, for all currently supported phones, the Android 13 update does not bring the car crash detection that Personal Safety is best known for.
Google has opened car crash detection to non-Pixel phones, but it requires device makers to implement Android’s “Context Hub.” This feature is designed to let small, ambient programs — such as sensing a sudden stop, in the case of car crash detection — run without using excess power. As adding support for Context Hub would require a system update, it’s not likely that any of these phones will gain car crash detection in Personal Safety any time soon. Despite that, it’s still great to see Google offer some of the Pixel series’ exclusive features to more Android phones.
With QPR1 now stable, Google is rolling out Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 as the next sizable Pixel update that will be released in March.
There should only be two Quarterly Platform Release betas for Android 13 if what Google telegraphed in August stands. Like QPR1, that should mean three QPR2 betas with a stable launch in March 2023 and a relatively bug-free experience for those that sign-up via the Android Beta Program.
If you’re still part of the Beta Program from testing Android 13 QPR1 you can unenroll from google.com/android/beta without a device wipe if you have not yet installed QPR2 Beta 1.
If you have already updated, leaving the program will result in a wipe and your next opportunity to exit without losing data will be in March after the stable launch of Android 13 QPR2.
The Android Beta Feedback app is available on Pixel phones to submit problems. You can access it from the app drawer or via Quick Settings to file bugs in the Google issue tracker, while the Android Beta community is on Reddit.
The following known issues exist:
Android Platform
The list of Recent apps sometimes becomes unresponsive if the screen orientation is changed while the list is open.
In some cases when entering and exiting Picture-in-picture (PiP) mode from an app after changing the screen orientation, the system Settings app crashes with a “Settings keeps stopping” message and then the system Settings app can’t be opened.
An issue with the System UI can sometimes cause the Home screen to become unresponsive.
Google Apps
After switching back to Normal video capture mode from Slow Motion mode in the Google Camera app, the app continues capturing slow-motion video if the capture speed was changed between the 1/8x and 1/4x while in Slow Motion mode.
Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 system images are available for the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. as well as in the Android Emulator.
Most users will be installing Beta 1 (T2B1.221118.006) with the December security patch from the Android Beta Program website. You can expect an OTA update in the coming hours. If you need help, here’s our full guide on installing Android 13.
After launching on Pixel phones earlier this year, Android 13 is now headed to Samsung Galaxy devices outside of a beta program. Here’s what devices have already received their update, and which ones will probably get it over the coming months.
What’s new in Android 13 on Samsung devices?
Android 13 is a pretty small update compared to Android 12 that came before it. Where that update completely reinvented the platform’s design on Pixel phones and introduced “Material You” theming with special colors, this year’s update is much smaller on the whole.
On Samsung smartphones, Android 13 brings a few system-level changes, including more colors for Samsung’s version of Material You, “Color Palette.” Themed icons on the homescreen now support third-party apps, too. There are also various privacy features on the lower levels, but the bulk of what’s new on Galaxy smartphones comes from Samsung.
One UI 5.0 is the latest version of Samsung’s skin on top of Android 13, and it brings a handful of new features. This includes “Privacy Detection” when sharing photos, a new Privacy and Security dashboard similar to the one Google built; a new lockscreen with more customizable features; “Maintenence Mode,” which hides user data when a smartphone is sent in for repair; stackable widgets; and more. The update was supposed to finally bring multi-user support, but Samsung removed it during the beta program.
Android 13 is already available on these Samsung devices
As of October 2022, Samsung has launched Android 13 for three smartphones. On October 24, One UI 5.0 with Android 13 started rolling out to all Galaxy S22 series devices globally, with some delays on carrier models and some regions.
This list will be continuously updated over the coming months with the latest additions marked in bold text. Check back regularly!
Samsung Galaxy S devices with Android 13
In October 2022, Samsung updated three devices to Android 13 as the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra saw updates to the latest version of Android and One UI 5.0. The update was launched globally on October 24, but is still expanding to certain regional variants and carrier models.
In November 2022, Samsung expanded the Android 13 update much further. On November 7, the update was launched on Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S20 series devices. The update started its availability in portions of Europe including Germany and Switzerland and is expected to roll out in other regions soon after. By November 14, the Android 13 update had expanded to the Galaxy S21 in India, Kazakhstan, and Russia, as well as some US carriers.
Galaxy S22 – Available globally
Galaxy S22+ – Available globally
Galaxy S22 Ultra – Available globally
Galaxy S21 – Available in Europe, India, Kazakhstan, Russia
Available in US on AT&T and T-Mobile
Galaxy S21+ – Available in Europe, India, Kazakhstan, Russia
Available in US on AT&T and T-Mobile
Galaxy S21 Ultra – Available in Europe, India, Kazakhstan, Russia
Available in US on AT&T and T-Mobile
Galaxy S20 – Available in Europe
Galaxy S20+ – Available in Europe
Galaxy S20 Ultra – Available in Europe
Galaxy Foldables with Android 13
Samsung has also started rolling out Android 13 to its foldable devices as of mid-November, but in a limited capacity. As of November 11, Samsung has released Android 13 to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, but only to those who were previously beta testing the update. The finalized update was launched in the US to unlocked owners, but should expand to other beta testers as well as all other owners fairly soon. By November 17, the update had launched widely to users that weren’t in the beta program, but still in a limited number of countries. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are also now getting the Android 13 update globally for those who were in the beta program.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 – Rolling out now starting in South Korea and India
Galaxy Z Flip 4 – Rolling out now starting in South Korea
Galaxy Z Fold 3 – Available to One UI 5 beta testers first
Galaxy Z Flip 3 – Available to One UI 5 beta testers first
Samsung Galaxy Note devices with Android 13
As Samsung moves away from the Galaxy Note line, there’s only a handful of Note devices that will ever see Android 13 officially. In fact, it’s really just the Galaxy Note 20 series, which started seeing its update in early November 2022. The Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra picked up Android 13 in Switzerland first, and has expanded to the United States as of November 15.
Galaxy Note 20 – Available in Europe and the United States
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – Available in Europe and the United States
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
The Android 13 update is moving quickly, and already available on select Galaxy A series devices. The Galaxy A53 was first in line on November 9 with the update launched in Europe and the UK. The Galaxy A33 was next in line on November 10 in Europe, while the Galaxy A73 came just a day later in Malaysia. The Galaxy A52 was also updated on November 17, the first device from Samsung’s 2021 mid-range lineup to be updated.
Galaxy A53 5G– Available in Europe and UK
Galaxy A33 5G– Avaialble in Europe
Galaxy A73 5G – Available in Malaysia
Galaxy A52 5G – Available in Russia
Galaxy tablets with Android 13
The very first Android tablets to be updated to Android 13 became Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 series on November 14. The update started rolling out to 5G versions of each tablet in several countries across Europe, but should expand to other models and regions soon.
Galaxy Tab S8 – Available in Europe, 5G only
Galaxy Tab S8+ – Available in Europe, 5G only
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – Available in Europe, 5G only
Other Samsung devices with Android 13
Outside of Samsung’s core product lineups, there are other devices getting Android 13 as well. That includes the rugged XCover 6 Pro, which was updated on November 14 alongside the Galaxy Tab S8 series. On November 15, Samsung released the update for its Galaxy M52 5G and Galaxy M32 5G in select markets.
Galaxy XCover 6 Pro – Available in Europe
Galaxy M32 5G – Available in India
Galaxy M52 5G – Available in Europe
What’s next?
When will my Samsung device get Android 13?
When will Galaxy devices get Android 13? If Samsung’s usual pattern holds up, most modern and supported flagship devices will be updated in a matter of weeks, with budget devices and other regional exclusives getting the update throughout 2023.
Generally speaking, most Samsung smartphones are now guaranteed major Android updates for at least three years after their debut, meaning there’s a pretty huge list of devices set to be updated. You can check the update policy for your Samsung smartphone below.
In a message sent to users in Korea through its Samsung Members app, Samsung has confirmed a preliminary list of devices and a roadmap of when it plans to roll out Android 13. The timeline was also backed up by messages in Malaysia and India. This timeline will likely vary a bit depending on your region and Samsung’s own pace, but it’s a good outline of what to expect.
Samsung Android 13 update schedule
October 2022
Galaxy S22 – October 24
Galaxy S22+ – October 24
Galaxy S22 Ultra – October 24
November 2022
Galaxy Z Fold 4 – November 17
Galaxy Z Flip 4 – November 17
Galaxy Z Fold 3
Galaxy Z Flip 3
Galaxy S21 – November 7
Galaxy S21+ – November 7
Galaxy S21 Ultra – November 7
Galaxy Note 20 – November 7
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – November 7
Galaxy S20 – November 7
Galaxy S20+ – November 7
Galaxy S20 Ultra – November 7
Galaxy Tab S8 – November 14
Galaxy Tab S8+ – November 14
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – November 14
Galaxy Tab S7
Galaxy Tab S7+
Galaxy Quantum3
Galaxy A53 5G – November 9
Galaxy A33 5G – November 10
Galaxy XCover 6 Pro – November 14
December 2022
Galaxy Z Fold 2
Galaxy Z Flip 5G
Galaxy Z Flip
Galaxy S21 FE
Galaxy S20 FE
Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
Galaxy S10 Lite
Galaxy Note 10 Lite
Galaxy A73 5G – November 11
Galaxy A52s 5G
Galaxy A52 5G – November 17
Galaxy A51
Galaxy A42 5G
Galaxy A32
Galaxy A71
Galaxy A71 5G
Galaxy A Quantum
Galaxy A Quantum2
Galaxy Jump
Galaxy Jump 2
January 2023
Galaxy A13 5G
Galaxy A23
Galaxy A72
Galaxy A52
Galaxy A32
Galaxy A32 5G
Galaxy M33 5G
Galaxy M53 5G
Galaxy M62
Galaxy M52 5G
Galaxy M12
Galaxy Buddy
Galaxy Buddy 2
Galaxy Wide6
Galaxy Wide5
Galaxy XCover 5
Galaxy Tab A8
Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
Galaxy Tab Active 3
February 2023
Galaxy A23
Galaxy A23 5G
Galaxy A12
Galaxy A22
Galaxy A22 5G
Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro
Galaxy M13
Galaxy M22
Galaxy M23 5G
Galaxy M32
March 2023
Galaxy A03
Galaxy A03s
Galaxy A04s
Galaxy A13 LTE
April 2023
Galaxy A04
Looking at Samsung’s update list from 2022 with Android 12, it’s almost guaranteed that other devices not on this initial roadmap will be added in time, but this gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Last updated 11/18 to add rollouts for Galaxy Z Fold 4, Flip 4, Galaxy A series devices, and further Galaxy S expansions.
Android 13 is starting to expand past the beta stage on devices from Samsung, Vivo, and more after launching on Pixels earlier this year. OnePlus, though, is just now releasing a schedule for when to expect Android 13 on more devices, but only in its beta form.
So far, OnePlus has only released a “stable” version of Android 13 with OxygenOS 13 to a single device, the OnePlus 10 Pro. That was followed by open beta releases for theOnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, as well as theOnePlus 10R in September, and betas have also since been released for OnePlus 10T, OnePlus 8 series, and the OnePlus 9R/T.
Sometime in “Q4 2022,” OnePlus says the Android 13 beta will expand to the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G and the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G. That’s all the brand says to expect through the end of 2022. From there, the first half of 2023 will see Android 13 beta releases for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G, Nord 2 5G, and Nord CE 5G. Note, of course, this is only talking about the beta releases, not the stable release.
OnePlus does add that the OnePlus Nord N20 will see a stable Android 13 release sometime in the first half of 2023 as well.
With this schedule, OnePlus also doubly confirms that devices from the OnePlus 7 series are seemingly not getting Android 13, which lines up with the brand’s stance of only promising two major Android updates to its flagships.
In a time where Samsung is providing a stable Android 13 update just two months behind Google and has active beta programs ongoing for both its flagship and budget models, it’s rough to see OnePlus making slow progress like this. OnePlus and Oppo touted “faster and smoother” updates as a benefit that users would enjoy as the two brands merged closer together, but it’s certainly not reflected in this schedule. Rather, we’re just seeing more ColorOS on OnePlus devices.
Samsung has begun rolling out the official Android 13 update to owners of the Galaxy S22, bringing the full suite of One UI 5.0 changes.
Android 13 was officially released, starting on Google’s Pixel phones, on August 15, and just days before that launch, Samsung began beta testing the new changes on their Galaxy series phones. After over two months in beta, as spotted by SamMobile, Samsung is now rolling out the full, stable Android 13 release with One UI 5.0, starting with the Galaxy S22 series.
For now, the rollout seems to be limited to Exynos variants of the Galaxy S22 in South Korea and across Europe. Thus far, the Android 13 update has not been made available in the United States, but that is likely to change in the coming days.
To get fans acclimated with the new update and all of the hottest features of One UI 5.0, Samsung has released an official “Introduction Film” highlighting what’s changed. Samsung’s Android 13 and One UI 5.0 video, of course, kicks off with the new lock screen customization, meant to help the Galaxy S22 compete with what Apple brought to iOS 16. Another familiar feature from the iPhone series is the introduction of “Modes,” which quickly set your sound and notification settings to suit your daily activities.
Going beyond matching the iPhone’s feature set, Samsung’s lock screen options allow you to use a video wallpaper or change the artwork periodically. Just like it did for the Pixel series, the Android 13 update for Samsung Galaxy phones gives you multiple vibrant theme options generated from your current wallpaper.
Continuing the theme of customization, Samsung also showcases a new way to “stack” widgets on your homescreen, making them easily scrollable. You can even deeply customize your Galaxy Watch with the Watch Face Studio.
In changes that are less exciting but still quite useful, Samsung’s Android 13 and One UI 5.0 update combines privacy and security settings into one hub. This security and privacy dashboard is designed to be easily read and understood, making it easier to be sure you’re safe in the digital world.
For more on what’s new in the One UI 5.0 update with Android 13, across the Galaxy S22 and the rest of Samsung’s lineup, check out our video from the original beta.
With rumors of the official One UI 5 beta starting soon and internal previews already underway, people are getting excited to see what Samsung has up its sleeve for Android 13. Luckily, I’ve managed to get my hands on the latest One UI 5 beta before the public beta even starts. Let’s take a look at everything that’s new in One UI 5.
To provide some context, this build was provided by a source and is not one that Samsung has released publicly, so it might not provide a complete picture of One UI 5 given the initial nature. It is an early beta that unfortunately does not have a changelog, so everything new below has been from using One UI 5 and comparing to One UI 4.
Tweaked notification design
The notification design has been slightly tweaked between One UI 4 and One UI 5. There are new icons for notifications along with an updated design style. The notification shade and quick settings also have a slight tweak to opacity. Neither of these changes are major, but they do bring an overall different feel to the notification shade as a whole in usage.
Stock Android permission dialogs
One big surprise with One UI 5 is Samsung’s choice to use the default Android permission dialogs. This is by no means a bad thing, and it is very similar to how Google does it. This could have been to help speed up the update process by not changing things that don’t need to be changed in Android, or it could just be so early Samsung hasn’t gotten to changing it in One UI 5 yet. We’ll find out soon enough in future betas.
OCR in Gallery and insert text from image in keyboard
Samsung has now added OCR (Optical Character Recognition) that lets you copy text from images to the Gallery app and keyboard. When the device detects text in a photograph, it will now have a button at the bottom of the gallery letting you pull text from the image. This used to be part of Bixby Vision, but was turned into its own feature in One UI 5.
Keyboard OCR works the same way it does on iOS. In any text field, you can select extract text and hold the camera up to anything to grab text from it and insert it. The UI on Samsung’s version is incredibly similar to iOS as well.
Security and privacy hub
One UI 5 Security and Privacy Hub
The security and privacy hub is a Samsung proprietary version of what Google made for Pixel on Android 13. It places all your accounts, passwords, security, and privacy features into one screen, thus allowing for easy access to everything. It will also scan for anything that might be abusing app permissions or a security setting that isn’t enabled and recommend you enable it for all around better security.
Unfortunately, there is nothing new in the hub. All of the settings and features here were also found in One UI 4, but it is good to see Samsung making access to all of this easier and being proactive about warning those who are less tech-savvy.
New multitasking gestures
In Labs, there are now two options for multitasking and accessing the feature. You’ll now be able to swipe up from the bottom of the screen with two fingers to access split view or swipe in from the top right corner to make a popup window. Neither currently work in this build, but they should by the time it launches.
Miscellaneous changes
Collaboration in Samsung Notes
Currently active app in quick settings
About phone page now shows image of device
UWB toggle in settings
At the end of the day, there really isn’t much new in One UI 5. It has minor improvements across the board with an upgrade to animations. This isn’t a bad thing. It seems like Samsung is focusing on update speed, seeing as the beta is likely starting a month earlier with a planned release also being a month earlier.
Focusing on getting Android updates out there fast then bringing newer features with later updates that launch alongside new devices allows for more devices to get updates and for Samsung to focus on new features later. With promises of four years of OS updates, this is a good thing to see and a good start for the Galaxy S22s. We’ll have to see how things go for Samsung’s Z foldables, A line of phones, and Tab series of devices.
