Android 13 (Go edition) announced: What is new in Google OS for smartphones

Successor to the Android 12 (Go edition), the Android 13 (Go edition) will be available in 2023 for affordable smartphones with limited storage and memory

American software giant Google on Tuesday announced the Android 13 (Go edition) operating system for affordable smartphones with limited storage and memory. Introduced five years back, the Android Go edition operating system powers over 250 million monthly active devices, according to Google. Android 13 (Go edition) brings upgrades in three areas – reliability, usability and customisation. Here are the details:

Google Play System updates

Software updates take a lot of space, which hinders the upgrade cycle for smartphones with limited storage and memory. With Android 13 (Go edition), Google is bringing Google Play System updates. It will allow the devices powered by Android 13 (Go edition) OS to receive major updates through Google Play Store.

"The result is a phone that stays up to date over time and you don’t have to wait for the next release or a software push from your phone’s manufacturer to have the latest and greatest," Google said in a blog post.

Discover

The Android 13 (Go edition) would bring Google’s ‘Discover’ feature. It would allow users to access a list of news articles based on preferences by swiping right from the home screen.

Material You

Android 13 (Go edition) will bring ‘Material You’ design, enabling customisation options for personalised experience. Google says the material design will allow users to customise their phone’s colour scheme and the entire home screen. It offers four corresponding colour schemes to choose from, while changing the wallpaper.

Besides, the update also brings key Android 13 features like notification permissions, app language preferences, and more to Android Go devices.