Android 13 Beta 3 is out now, hitting Platform Stability

Android 13 Beta 3 is out now, hitting Platform Stability

Last month, Google released Android 13 Beta 2 with finer privacy controls and improved Material You. Now, it has rolled out Beta 3 to the public. This is an important release for developers because the OS has now reached Platform Stability.

What this means is that all app-facing behaviors and APIs have been finalized. As such, developers can start the final compatibility testing of their applications to ensure that their software is compliant with Android 13 and works as expected.

Google has also provided some guidance about which areas to focus on in compatibility testing. These include runtime permissions for notifications, clipboard preview, and JobScheduler prefetch.

Meanwhile, apps with the targetSdkVersion set to API Level 33 or higher should test nearby device permission for Wi-Fi, granular media permissions, permissions for body sensors, intent filters, and media controls derived from PlaybackState.

Finally, for testing your application on tablets and other large-screen Android devices, be on the lookout for taskbar interaction, multi-window mode, compatibility mode adjustments, media projection, and camera preview.

It is important to note that with Android 13 hitting Platform Stability, Google will primarily be focusing on bug fixes, polishing the experience, and performance rather than adding new features moving forward.