Google’s Android 13 QPR1 program has launched the second beta of Android 13, focusing on improving and redesigning certain aspects of the operating system.
If you look at Official release notes (Opens in a new tab)There is very little information available. We know that only Pixel phones will get this beta. More specifically, the devices are Pixel 4a, 4a (5G), 5, 5a, 6, 6a, and Pixel 6 Pro. Notwithstanding, prominent Android expert Mishaal Rahman has disassembled everything he found in the beta version into a file Twitter theme (Opens in a new tab). It indicates specific changes made to the Settings app, the addition of new animations, and more battery usage information.
Changes and redesign
In the Settings app, Rahman discovers the new App Battery Usage page that gives users a brief overview of which apps are using the most power. The beta also reintroduces Battery Health, a feature first seen on Android 12, under Settings Services. This tool offers a more in-depth look at how your Pixel phone uses its battery. You will turn back like The last time the device was fully charged (Opens in a new tab), no matter how long ago, plus tips on how to extend battery life. Other reports show the battery health shown to users their device habits (Opens in a new tab).
New predictive back gesture support (Opens in a new tab) It was detected in the settings. This animation lets you peek at where you’re going before swiping on an app so people can decide if they want to stay or leave. Speaking of animation, a new image has been featured on the Google Telegram news channel of Pixel’s Biometric Authenticator (Opens in a new tab) . Now, a check mark will appear on the screen after the fingerprint reader of the phone has successfully read your fingerprint. Nothing significant, but a useful indicator.
The latest set of noteworthy changes revolve around the redesign of menus. For example, Clear Calling, a feature that reduces background noise during calls, has a new image and description, although it’s not available for use, according to Rahman. And the Security Center has been redesigned a bit, with tools like Google Security Checkup popping up.
Join the program
If you are interested in trying the trial version, you will first have to sign up for Beta program on Google (Opens in a new tab) (You are supposed to have an eligible phone). It may take up to 24 hours to receive the update. You can check if you have it by going to System updates in the Settings app. Google also asks for feedback, which you can provide either by submitting it directly via Settings or navigating a file The official subreddit for Android Beta (Opens in a new tab).
Given that this is a beta version, you will likely encounter performance issues. Be aware that going back to a more stable version of Android after trying the beta version will require you to erase your device from “all data saved locally,” according to Google. For this reason, it is best that you do not use your daily device.
This beta was released while Google unveiled the Pixel 7, so it mostly went unnoticed. If you are interested in learning more, we recommend checking out TechRadar’s latest hands-on experience with the Pixel 7.
