Google released its latest operating system, Android 13, on August 16, and it left a feeling of disappointment for many. Android 13 appears to be nothing more than a minor update to Android 12, despite being marketed as packed with new features.
Google launches the new Android update with additional permission features
It seems that the new update has mainly been limited to following the path that Google has taken with Android 12, making it the weakest and most uninteresting of all Android updates to date. One of the main innovations of Android 13 is the new notification permission system.
When installing a new app, users now have to decide whether to allow notifications or not.
According to Giz China’s story, this makes it easier and faster for users to turn off notifications before they even get the first one. This is a much appreciated change as users no longer have to wait for the first notification to frustrate them before they can turn it off.
Android 13 offers more specific permission requests
In addition to the new notification system, Android 13 also offers more specific rights for media access. There are now separate permissions for photos and videos, and audio and music, as explained in detail in an XDA-Developer article about Beta 1.
This means apps can no longer access all of a user’s files and multimedia information with a single permission. For example, music players can no longer access the user’s images. While this is a minor update, it gives users more control over what information they share with apps.
The new operating system update comes with a photo and video selector to restrict user access to certain apps
Another new feature of Android 13 is the photo and video picker. It allows users to limit the apps that can access their photos and videos. Instead of giving an app access to the entire library, users can choose to share only specific photos and videos.
While this feature is designed to give users more control over their data, developers are reportedly unhappy about it as they still request access to the full library. It remains to be seen whether this will change in the future.
Read also: Microsoft will no longer sell Windows 10 starting February 1; Forced users to switch to Windows 11?
Android 13 brings new features, but could be a minor update rather than a major overhaul
In conclusion, while Android 13 brings some new features, it seems like a minor update rather than a major overhaul. To many, it feels like Android 13 should have been called Android 12.1, as it seems like nothing more than a minor update to the previous operating system.
As Android matures, it will become more difficult for Google to introduce new and exciting features that surprise and impress users. Nevertheless, the new notifications and media access permissions and the photo and video picker give users more control over their data and personal information, making Android 13 a valuable update for those who own a Google Pixel.
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