Google releases Android 13 Beta 3 with some new features for the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and other Pixel smartphones as this year's update reaches Platform Stability

Google has introduced the third beta version of Android 13, having also released Developer Previews earlier this year. Issued for the Pixel smartphones, Android 13 Beta 3 marks the start of Platform Stability, which will continue beyond the operating system's final release. In short, Google has finalised all APIs and features, allowing developers to optimise their apps for Android 13 in time for stable builds.

As 9to5Google shows, Google has added a few features with Android 13 Beta 3, including 'Predictive back animations', a 6x5 app grip in Pixel Launcher for next year's Pixel tablet and a new fingerprint registration UI for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Additionally, Google has included a wider and thicker navigation bar, plus the ability to include web suggestions within the Pixel Launcher's search bar. Incidentally, Google has included a Flashlight alert within 'At a Glance', but this is not working for all Pixel smartphones yet.

Separately, Mishaal Rahman has discovered that Android 13 now asks people to review notification settings for apps. Seemingly a way to inform people about Android 13's changes regarding runtime permissions for notifications, presumably this will make it into Android 13's final release for Pixel smartphones. Based on the chart below, it seems that Google plans to release Android 13 in August, only ten months after Android 12 arrived. For reference, Google released Android 12 to AOSP on October 4 but waited until October 19 to bring the OS to Pixel smartphones. Incidentally, Android 13 Beta is only available on the Pixel 4 through Pixel 6 series, excluding the announced but unreleased Pixel 6a. However, the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5a are eligible for Android 13 Beta builds.

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