Android
Android 13: Best new features
At its I/O 2022 Developer Conference, Google officially unveiled Android 13. Even though the company released the first Android 13 Developer Preview back in February, giving us an idea of what to expect from the company’s major OS update, this was the first time Google executives officially talked about the features and changes coming to the new operating system. Though the new Android 13 update isn’t as major of an update as the last year’s Android 12 (which brought a visual change with Material You UI), it builds on the foundation laid by Android 12 and brings a number of new features and changes. Here are the best Android 13 features we’ve spotted so far:
Android 13: Best New Features
New Privacy and Security Features
Google has added a ton of security and privacy features to Android 13. The new OS builds on the Security & Privacy settings page that Android 12 brought and now gives the user a clear color-coded indicator of their safety status. It will also provide the user guidance and steps that they can take to boost their smartphone’s security.
In addition, there are a number of other security changes as well. For example, an app no longer needs to access the location in order to enable Wi-Fi scanning. While Android already sends you a notification when an app accesses the Clipboard, Android 13 goes even further and automatically deletes the Clipboard history after a short period of time. There are a number of other notable privacy and security changes as well. We’ve discussed all of them (in great detail) down below.
Revamped Google Wallet
One of the key highlights of this year’s I/O was the new and revamped Google Wallet — yes, Google is bringing back the Wallet. The new Google Wallet functions much like its counterpart Apple Wallet and can now store almost all sorts of cards and keys. You can store your credit/debit cards, transit passes, office IDs, vaccine certificates, car keys, boarding passes, hotel keys, and student IDs in the new Google Wallet.
You can now digitally share cards via NFC or a QR code instead of physically handing your phone over to the person checking it. The Wallet now has deeper integration with other Google apps as well. For example, if you have a transit card stored in your Google Wallet, your card and balance will automatically show up in apps such as Google Maps when you search for directions. However, the new Wallet is not an Android 13 exclusive feature. Google says it will expand the revamped Google Wallet to all the Android smartphones running Android Lollipop (version 5.0) and up.
New Material You Features
Android 12 brought the new Material You theming system. The new Material You theming engine essentially picks colors from your wallpaper and applies them throughout the system so that your smartphone feels even more inclusive. Android 13 extends the Material You rvrn further by adding more theming options.
For those who don’t want their phone’s theme to match the colors of their wallpaper, Android 13 now allows you to pick a preset color scheme for your smartphone. Moreover, “Themed icons” are no longer limited to first-part Google apps. In Android 13, you can color themes to the third-party apps as well. In addition, there are a number of subtle design tweaks here and there.
More Optimizations for Big Screens
Google made a number of major updates to the interface in Android 12L. Android 13 picks up right where Android 12L left off as Google has brought official support for split-screen with the new update. You can now drag and drop apps from the toolbar to open them side-by-side. You can even drag and drop files between two apps in split-screen mode. Google says it is updating more than 20 first-party apps to take full advantage of the extra space and is working with a number of third-party app developers, including TikTok, Zoom, Facebook, and many others, to optimize their Android apps for the big screen. The company adds that the Play Store will also start displaying tablet-optimized apps first, starting with Android 13.
New Cast Features
Chromecast allows you to watch content on the big screen in just a couple of taps. Google says millions of people use the Chromecast feature daily, and now it is extending casting capabilities to new partners and products. You will now be able to cast content on your Chromebook or even your car.
Permission to Send Notifications
Undoubtedly, Android has a far better notification system than iOS. However, one of the pain points of Google’s operating system is that it allows all the apps and services to send notifications by default. If you want to disable an app’s notification, you’ll have to do it manually. Not anymore, as in Android 13, apps must get your permission before sending you notifications.
Granular Media Access Permission
Google is putting more restrictions on how much personal data apps can access by default. Now, instead of permitting access to “Files and media,” which basically gave access to all the data stored on the phone, there are two new categories you can control access to: “Photos & videos” and “Music & audio.” There’s also a new Photo Picker that gives access to only select photos to an app. It’s discussed in more detail down below.
Brand New Photo Picker
Android 13 comes with a new-looking Photo Picker UI. The new Photo Picker API will allow users to share select photos and videos without allowing the app to see all the photos on your device. This is basically an extension of Android’s Document picker that lets users a document without allowing the app to access all of the documents on the device. Google says it will bring this feature to all the devices with Android 11 and above through Google Play system updates.
Per-App Language Setting
As rumored before, Android 13 brings support for the per-app language setting. With Android 13, you will now be able to use an app in a different language, all while using other apps in a different language. For example, you might want to use social media or messaging in one language, but the bank app in another — Android 13 will allow you to do this.
Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio
Android 13 also brings support for Bluetooth Low Energy Audio. Bluetooth in Android 13 uses a new default audio codec — called the Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3) — that transmits higher-quality audio all while consuming less energy.
End-to-End Encryption for Group Chats With RCS in Messages
Google Messages is going to get a big upgrade this year as the company says that it will launch end-to-end encryption for group chats by the end of 2022. Currently, end-to-end encryption is only available in one-to-one RCS chats in Google Messages, but the company now plans to expand it to group chats later this year.
New Media Playback UI
Android 13, again, revamps the Media Playback UI. The media player now shows a squiggly animated wave during music playback. The media player also shows the album artwork now.
Copy-Paste Improvements
Google has added a number of features to the clipboard in Android 13. Now, when you copy something, you will notice a small floating panel that will come up towards the bottom of your display. This floating panel allows you to view and edit the contents of your clipboard without pasting it anywhere. You will also get relevant options depending upon the type of content you copy. For example, you’ll see a browser option if you copy a link. Similarly, you’ll see a photo editor option if you copy an image.
In addition to this, Google is bringing another Apple ecosystem-like feature. Now, you can copy anything on your phone and paste it directly onto your tablet. Talking about the Chromebook, Google says that you will be able to stream apps directly from your phone to Chromebooks later this year. “You’ll be able to send and reply to messages, view your conversation history and launch your messaging apps from your laptop,” says the company.
Quick QR Code Scanner
From payment to placing an order, QR codes are being used everywhere. Believe it or not, many people have to rely on third-party apps just to scan a QR code. Google is making the life of those people much easier with Android 13 as the company has added a dedicated QR code scanner to the quick settings on Android 13. You can now just swipe down and scan a QR code with just a couple of taps.
More: Android Developers Blog
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HUAWEI unveiled its next-generation foldable device, the Mate Xs 2, recently. The new foldable from HUAWEI comes with a different form factor than the currently available foldables on the market — it comes with an outward folding display. The Mate Xs 2 packs a lot of features and is certainly a worthy competitor to the likes of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and OPPO Find N. For those looking for a new foldable device with a great screen, premium material, and pro-grade cameras, the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is an excellent option. Read along and learn everything about the new foldable from HUAWEI.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Display and Design
Most of the foldables available in the market right now look the same. They feature a small cover screen on the outside with a foldable screen inside. The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is a breath of fresh air as it brings a form factor that is not seen very often in the foldable market. The Mate Xs 2 sports an outward folding display just like its predecessor — which our own Roland thinks is not a very a wise choice.
Talking about the display, the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 features a 6.5-inch OLED display that can be unfolded into a 7.8-inch display. The display features a 2480×2200 pixels resolution and supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate. The pixel density is also very high at 424 PPI. HUAWEI says it has added an Anti-reflection Nano Optical Layer on top that keeps the view clear, even in direct sunlight. When unfolded, the Mate Xs 2 is only 5.4mm thick. It is also one of the lightest foldable available, coming in at only 255g.
One of the concerns of the foldables with an outward folding display is that the screen that folds towards the back of the phone is exposed. This raises a lot of concern as the screen can pick up a lot of scratches. HUAWEI has, however, addressed this concern and is bundling in a protective case in the box with the foldable that covers the ‘back side’ of the screen when it’s folded. When the screen is folded with the case on, you can use the Mate Xs 2 just like any normal Android smartphone. But when you want to use full-screen real estate, you can remove the case and unfold the display.
HUAWEI says that the Xs 2 features an all-new Falcon Wing Hinge. This new mechanism allows the foldable to achieve perfect alignment between the display and hinge, all while improving the durability of the device. The company claims that the Mate Xs 2 is 2.5 times better in terms of drop resistance and 2.8 times better in terms of impact resistance than the last generation Xs. The company says it has been possible thanks to the new hinge mechanism and the advanced MIM steel used to build it.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Cameras
Moving onto the cameras, the Mate Xs 2 features a triple-camera setup on the back. This setup includes a 50MP primary camera, a 13MP ultra-wide angle lens with 120-degree FoV, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The punch-hole cutout in the front houses the smartphone’s 10.7MP selfie camera. Like HUAWEI’s recent flagship smartphones, the Mate Xs 2 also supports HUAWEI XD Optics technology. HUAWEI says this technology enables the cameras to take in more light, all while improving the level of detail.
Thanks to the foldable featuring an outward folding display, you can use the main cameras of the foldable (in folded mode) to take accurate portrait selfies. The 8MP telephoto lens enables 3x optical zoom, so you can move closer to the object without losing any detail.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Processor, Battery, and Software
Despite being a mid-2022 flagship foldable, the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 4G processor instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The Snapdragon 888 is, still, a powerful octa-core chipset that features one ARM Cortex-X1 Kryo Prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.42GHzm, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.
Though the Snapdragon 888 will be able to handle all the day-to-day tasks easily, the only downside of this chipset is that it doesn’t support 5G networks. HUAWEI has, however, tried to compensate for the lack of 5G by improving the Wi-Fi wireless connectivity. The Mate Xs 2 is the first smartphone to support tri-band Wi-Fi.
Backing the Mate Xs 2 is a big 4600 mAh battery cell that supports HUAWEI’s 66W SuperCharge technology. The company claims that HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 can be charged from 0-90% in just under 30 minutes. In addition, HUAWEI has added a Graphene Liquid Cooling System to keep the brain of the smartphone running cool. There’s no support for wireless charging, though.
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 runs on a specialized version of EMUI 12, which is based on Google’s latest Android 12 operating system. The icons, display, and text adjust automatically when you unfold the screen. Thanks to the big 7.8-inch display, you can also see up to 12 people at once during a video call on the Mate Xs 2. EMUI 12 also enables smart interactions such as split-screen, multi-window, and floating app windows. Like the other HUAWEI devices, no Google apps are present onboard.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Price, Colors, and Availability
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 was unveiled in China last month. The company has since confirmed that the device will be available in the international markets starting next month, i.e., June. However, unlike China, where the company launched three variants of the foldable, HUAWEI is bringing only one variant to the global markets.
In Europe, only the 8GB RAM and 512GB internal storage variant will be sold. It will retail at a steep price of €1999 (~£1,700). This is much lower than the price at which Mate X2 was introduced but still higher than the price of Samsung’s foldables (which are available at a price of ~£1,500). The foldable will be available in three colors: White, Black, and Violet.
| Variant | Price (China) | Price (GBP/EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| 8+256GB | CNY 9,999 | TBA |
| 8+512GB | CNY 11,499 | TBA |
| 12+512GB | CNY 12,999 | TBA |
What’s in the box?
HUAWEI is one of the few rare companies that still includes some essential accessories, tools, and guides in the box. In addition to the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 itself, the box comes with a USB Type-C Cable, 66W fast charger, SIM ejection tool, quick start guide, an official case, and a protective film that is pre-applied on the foldable.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2
Latest foldable from HUAWEI
Mate Xs 2 is the latest foldable from HUAWEI. It builds on the legacy that Mate X2 left, and comes with a big 7.8-inch outward-folding OLED display. Other features include a 4,600 mAh battery, 66W charging, 50MP camera sensor, and Android 12. Check out all the deals on the device using the links given below.
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 Specs
| Category | HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 |
|---|---|
| Display | – Unfolded: 7.8-inches (2480 x 2200 Pixels) – Folded: 6.5-inches (2480 x 1176 Pixels) |
| Display Features | Foldable OLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 424 PPI |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 4G |
| GPU | Adreno 660 |
| Memory | 8 GB |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Expandable Storage | Yes, up to 256 GB (Nano Memory) |
| Rear Cameras | – Primary: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF, Laser AF – Telephoto: 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom – Ultra-wide: 13 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FoV |
| Front Camera | 10.7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video Modes | 4K @ 30 fps, 1080p HD @ 30/60/120/240/960 fps |
| Security | Pin, Pattern, Password, Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted) |
| Connectivity | Dual-SIM, LTE (No 5G), 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, No 3.5mm Headphone Jack |
| Battery | 4600 mAh |
| Wired Charging | 66W |
| Operating System | EMUI 12 (Android 12) |
| Colors | White, Black, Violet |
| Dimensions | – Unfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4 mm – Folded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1 mm |
| Weight | 255g |
| Release date | April 28, 2022 |
| Price | €1999 |
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