Desktop and smart speaker modes are 2 of the many hidden features of Android 13

In the week that is ending, Google has introduced le December 2022 security patch and especially Android 13QPR1 thanks to the latest Pixel Feature Drop of the year. In particular, Android 13 QPR1 – or the first quarterly update of the latest version of the OS – it hides a lot of features that users will get their hands on later. To find out what the news are, he thought about it, as usual, Mishaal Rahmanwho analyzed the Android source code, finding the news that could arrive in the coming months and that will not be exclusive to the Pixels.

Desktop mode

The “desktop” mode, until now, has been completely absent on Pixel smartphones, while on devices from other brands – such as Samsung – there is a mode that allows you to turn your mobile phone into an all-in-one device. However, the desktop modes offered by third-party manufacturers had a critical issue: these works, not being directly supported by Google, caused widespread fragmentation which prevented app developers from offering support to these projects.

To overcome this critical issue, the source code of Android 13 QPR1 contains new pieces of code that “certify” Google’s desire to make the desktop mode – already silently added in Android 10 – more usable by all users. In particular, the company is focusing on improvements to windows and the taskbar. To start the feature, however, you need to activate a couple of flags that will add a brand new “Developer panel for quick settings” to the “Developer options” which, finally, will allow you to add a special new toggle in the control center. Finally, further improvements in this regard could arrive with Android 13 QPR2.

The Android 12L Taskbar on smartphones

With Android 12L a new application bar was introduced that can only be used on devices with screens that have a pixel density greater than or equal to 600 dpi. However, this policy is editable using developer options and therefore you can enable the bar on all phones.

Obviously the interface is awkward to use and to remedy this criticality it would seem that Google has set to work. In fact, in Android 13 QPR1 there is a flag that allows you to hide the navigation bar and bring up the application bar.

Ahead of the launch of the new Pixel Tablet, Google is revamping the Android screensaver to add complications and widgets. Android 13 QPR1, in fact, adds: “Smartspace” (it is the code name of “At a glance”, “Media entry” (it would be the multimedia controller) and “Home controls” (allows you to control smart home devices).

Definitely, via Pixel Tablet you can start a screensaver that will show a lot of information, to the point of being able to define it as a new “Nest Hub”.

Custom clocks for your lock screen

It was thought that this option capable of customizing the style of the clock on the lock screen should be launched with Android 12 and instead nothing.

Now, however, Android 13 QPR1, thanks to a change that introduces the “Custom Clock” section in the “ThemePicker” app, suggests that Google has resumed the activities to implement this feature.

Partial screen sharing

Android 13 QPR1 adds support for ability to record only a portion of the screen. This option can be selected directly from the screen recording dialog. To date, however, the function can only be activated via a functionality flag.

Launch Google Keep from any screen

In Android QPR1, Google introduced a special activity floating window that is different from the free-form ones. When enabled, the taskbar receives a button with a pen icon that launches Google Keep in write mode.

Advanced VPN

Another novelty contained in the source code of Android 13 QPR1 suggests possible works about a nnew advanced VPN functionality which will appear in the appropriate Android settings.

However, there is no further information on this.

Android TV split-screen support

Android TV 13 introduces a extended picture-in-picture mode which consists of tiling two windows (similar to what already happens on Android smartphones or tablets). Among other things, a brand new “Split Screen TV” menu is added that allows the user to switch between apps or exit the mode by closing one of the two applications.

The last two novelties – in addition to the smaller ones – pertain to immersive mode support in Android Automotive OSwhich consists in the possibility of increasing the display area to full screen thanks to a toggle in the title bar, and the change regarding the “Quick Tap” option. Indeed, it would appear that the detection of the gestures of “Quick touch” will be managed by the Android System Intelligence app. This choice could be motivated by the alleged search for more privacy.