Google has released its latest operating system, Android 13, on August 16th, and for many it has left them feeling underwhelmed. Android 13 appears to be nothing more than a minor update to Android 12, despite being marketed as full of new features.
Google is Launching the new Android Update with Additional Permission Features
It seems that the new update has mainly limited itself to following the road that Google began with Android 12, making it the weakest and most uninteresting of all the Android updates so far. One of the key innovations of Android 13 is the new notification permission system.
When installing a new app, users must now decide whether they want to allow notifications or not.
According to the story by Giz China, this makes it easier and faster for users to turn off notifications before they even receive the first one. This is a much appreciated change as users no longer have to wait for the first notification to frustrate them before being able to turn it off.
Android 13 Offers More Specific Permission Requests
In addition to the new notification system, Android 13 also offers more specific permissions for media access. There are now separate permissions for photos and videos, and audio and music, as explained in detail in an article by XDA-Developer which covered its Beta 1.
This means that apps can no longer access all of a user's files and multimedia information with a single permission. For example, music players will no longer have access to the user's images. While this is a small update, it provides users with more control over what information they share with apps.
The New Operations System Update Comes with a Photo and Video Picker to Limit User Access to Certain Apps
Another new feature of Android 13 is the photo and video picker. This allows users to limit the apps that have access to their photos and videos. Instead of giving an app access to the whole library, users can choose to only share specific photos and videos.
Although this feature is designed to give users more control over their data, developers are reportedly not happy with it as they still request access to the full library. It remains to be seen if this will change in the future.
Read Also: Microsoft Will No Longer Sell Windows 10 Starting Feb. 1; Users Forced to Switch to Windows 11?
Android 13 Offers New Features but Could be a Minor Update Instead of a Major Overhaul
In conclusion, while Android 13 offers some new features, it seems to be a minor update rather than a major overhaul. For many, it feels like Android 13 should have been named Android 12.1, as it appears to be nothing more than a slight update to the previous operating system.
As Android continues to mature, it will become harder for Google to introduce new and exciting features that surprise and impress users. Nevertheless, the new notification and media access permissions, and the photo and video picker, provide users with greater control over their data and personal information, making Android 13 a worthwhile update for those who own a Google Pixel.
Related Article: Xiaomi MIUI 14 Update is an Upgraded Version of the Android 13: Here's Why
