New Android 13 beta makes it easier to track battery usage on Pixel phones
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Google’s Android 13 QPR1 program has launched the second beta of Android 13, aimed at improving and redesigning certain aspects of the operating system.
If you look at the official release notes (opens in new tab), there is very little information available. We do know that only Pixel phones will get this beta. More specifically, the devices are the Pixel 4a, 4a (5G), 5, 5a, 6, 6a and Pixel 6 Pro. However, notable Android expert Mishaal Rahman has put everything he found in beta into a Twitter thread (opens in new tab). He points out specific changes to the Settings app, the addition of new animations, and more information about battery usage.
Changes and redesigns
Within the Settings app, Rahman discovered a new “App Battery Usage” page that gives users a quick overview of which apps are using the most power. The beta also introduces Battery Health, a feature first seen on Android 12, under Settings Services. This tool provides a more detailed look at how a Pixel phone uses its battery. It goes as far back as the last time the device was fully charged (opens in new tab), however long ago that was, plus tips for extending battery life. Other reports show Battery Health with users their device habits (opens in new tab).
New support for a predictive return gesture (opens in new tab) was discovered on Settings. This is an animation that lets you see where you’re going before swiping on an app so people can decide whether to stay or leave. Speaking of animations, a new one was shown on the Google News Telegram channel for Pixel .’s biometric authentication tool (opens in new tab) . Now a check mark will appear on the screen after the phone’s fingerprint reader has read your fingerprint. Nothing major, but still a useful indicator.
The last group of notable changes revolves around menu redesign. For example, Clear Calling, a feature that reduces background noise during calls, has a new image and description, although it is not available for use according to Rahman. And the Security Center has been slightly redesigned, bringing tools like Google Security Checkup to the surface.
Join the program
If you’re interested in trying out the beta, you’ll need to sign up for the Beta program on Google’s website (opens in new tab) (presumably you have a qualifying phone). It can take up to 24 hours to receive the update. You can check if you have it by going to System Updates in the Settings app. Google also asks for feedback, which you can provide by sending it directly through Settings or by clicking the official Android Beta program subreddit (opens in new tab).
Since this is a beta version, you are likely to experience performance issues. Keep in mind that if you go back to a more stable version of Android after trying out the beta, you’ll need to wipe your device of “all locally saved data,” according to Google. For that reason, it’s probably better that you don’t use your everyday device.
This beta was released in the shadow of Google unveiling the Pixel 7 phone, so it went largely unnoticed. If you want to know more, we recommend you take a look TechRadar’s recent hands-on experience with the Pixel 7.