Introduction

A new major Android OS upgrade arrives every year and in 2022, we’re looking forward to Android 13. Google will provide more details about the upcoming version at its I/0 2022 conference that’s scheduled to take place on May 11. That’s also when we may find out what the Android 13 release date will be.

Google has already released the first developer preview build earlier this year. The second developer preview build was released last month. Google will follow it up with the first Android 13 beta build later this month.

It goes without saying that Android 13 for Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets won’t arrive before the second half of this year. That’s because Samsung runs its own beta program for new Android upgrades. Samsung’s Android 13 One UI 5.0 beta program will take some time to wrap up before the update is released to the public.

There are many devices that are eligible for all of the Android 13 features. That’s because Samsung is now providing up to four years of Android OS upgrades for many of its smartphones and tablets.

Best Android 13 features

Since Android 12 brought significant cosmetic changes, it’s quite possible that the majority of improvements Android 13 makes will be under the hood. There are a few visual changes, though, that have appeared in the developer preview builds.

Android 13 includes a new media player and output picker, the placement for power and settings shortcuts have been changed in the Quick Settings menu, the app drawer icon is being added to the taskbar again, and more.

We may also see an expansion of Google’s Material You color schemes. There may be a new selection of palettes to extract colors from the wallpaper. We’ve already reported that Material You themes are also available on Samsung devices.

We’ve seen Google’s Android upgrades take inspiration from Samsung in the past. One of the new Android 13 features is the ability to control the brightness strength of the device’s flashlight. Samsung devices have already had this feature for several years now.

Expect Google to reveal more information about all of the Android 13 features at the I/O 2022 conference.

Android 13 on Samsung devices

Samsung will release a new version of its One UI custom skin alongside Android 13. There’s a possibility that this version may be called One UI 5.0. As always, we can expect Samsung to introduce new features with it.

Precisely what those features will be remains a mystery right now. That’s because the company hasn’t confirmed anything about One UI 5.0 at this point in time.

Android 13 beta for Samsung

Samsung will run its own program for the Android 13 beta. This will be coupled with the beta release of its new One UI iteration. Expect the beta to be only available in limited markets initially before being gradually expanded.

We’ve exclusively reported that Samsung’s Android 13 and One UI 5.0 public beta could begin by July. The beta program normally continues for a couple of months. Samsung then releases the update to the public. At this rate, the Android 13 release date for Samsung devices might fall in September or October this year.

Update: Samsung has launched the Android 13 One UI 5.0 beta program. The company is expected to release the firmware to the public by October this year.

Which Samsung devices will get Android 13

All of Samsung’s current leading devices will get Android 13 but they certainly won’t be the only ones. The company now provides up to four years of Android OS upgrades to select devices. This makes many existing devices eligible for the new update. Here’s a list of all Samsung devices that will get Android 13.