Google unveils Android 13 (Go edition) for the cheapest phones

Following the release of Android 13 back in August, Google is back today with a variation of it that's built specifically with low-end phones in mind. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Android 13 (Go edition).

Believe it or not, the Go edition concept is already five years old, and at the moment there are over 250 million monthly active devices, with low-end SoCs, limited RAM and storage capacities, that run some form of Android Go.

Android 13 (Go edition) focuses on reliability, usability, and customization. Google Play System Updates are available for Go devices starting with this release, allowing phones to receive important software updates outside of a major Android release.

The Google Discover feed, which you can find in Android to the left of your leftmost home screen in a lot of skins, is now making its debut on Go edition devices. Also launching is the Material You design language, which so far has been confined to non-Go edition Android devices but is now making the jump to the affordable side.

With it, you get the theming of your phone's entire color scheme based on your wallpaper. It's not automatic, though - when you set a wallpaper, you get four color schemes to choose from for the system.

Additionally, some key features introduced in Android 13 are also making it to the Go edition, such as notification permissions and app language preferences. Google says new devices running Android 13 (Go edition) should arrive in 2023.

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