The latest Android version 13 is fast approaching and that means we are going to start seeing the first OEMs release their own customizations of the OS. One UI has been introduced with the Android Pie update, and it is Google’s attempt at unifying the look and feel between different devices from different manufacturers. There aren’t many Android versions out there yet, though there have been a few that have been getting a lot of attention. And yes, we are talking about Android 13 here — also known as One UI. As per a report from ETNews, Samsung has begun testing its Android One-based 5G-enabled Galaxy M42 5G variant for the upcoming launch of its operating system in Q4 this year. A new report from ETNews further confirms the news on the forthcoming launch of Galaxy M42 5G in partnership with Google, who will be releasing One UI soon after final testing.
Galaxy M42 5G and One UI
The Android 8.1 Oreo-based One UI is coming to Samsung’s Galaxy M series devices and it will be the only smartphone series to get it. The upcoming Galaxy M42 5G smartphone would sport the latest Android version 13 and would also be the first Samsung device to get the new One UI. The One UI update for Galaxy M series devices is expected to be based on the Android Pie which is being rolled out to all other Android One-based Samsung smartphones. With the launch of the Galaxy M42 5G together with Android 13 and One UI, we can expect Samsung’s new mobile strategy for India to be unveiled. Samsung has been trying to expand its portfolio of smartphones from the budget and mid-range segment by offering smartphones with attractive price tags. This would enable the company to expand its smartphone base in the country.
Samsung 5G-enabled Galaxy M and Android 13 update
Samsung’s 5G Galaxy M series that was launched in South Korea last year is also getting 5G-enabled models. The Galaxy M10 5G variant that was launched in February this year is already receiving Android 13 based One UI update. The 5G-enabled Galaxy M10 5G variant would be the first Samsung smartphone to receive the new OS. Apart from the 5G Galaxy M series, Samsung has also launched the Galaxy M20 5G variant that is yet to receive the Android 13 update. The Galaxy M20 5G variant would be the third model from Samsung to receive the Android 13 update after the Galaxy M10 5G and the Galaxy M20 5G. The Galaxy M20 5G variant could be launched in India as the Galaxy M20 5G. It is not clear whether the device would be branded as the Galaxy M20 5G or Galaxy M20 5G +.
Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5 Receive Android 13-based One UI 5.0 Update
Another device that is getting the Android 13 based One UI update would be the Galaxy Xcover 5. The device has been launched in India in partnership with Airtel and has been receiving the Android Pie-based One UI update since March. The device is already on Android 8.1 Oreo and is powered by Exynos 7885 SoC which is being replaced by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. The device is expected to receive the Android 13 update very soon and would be the second Samsung smartphone to get the new OS after the Galaxy M series. The Galaxy Xcover 5 is the first Samsung device to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. The OS update for the device might be accompanied by an Android One-based launcher.
Ongoing Testing of Google’s 5G-Enabled Pixel Smartphones
The launch of Google’s Pixel smartphones for the Indian market has brought a lot of attention to Google’s 5G-enabled smartphones. The Pixel 3 Lite and its bigger sibling Pixel 3 are powered by the Android Pie operating system and will be the first smartphones to receive the Android 13 update. The Pixel 3 Lite would be the first Pixel smartphone to be launched in India. The Pixel 3 Lite also features a dual rear camera setup and would be available in three colour variants – Just Black, Not Pink, and Clearly White. Another interesting feature of the Pixel 3 Lite that might be received by the new Android version 13 update is Motion Activated Notifications.
Final Testing of Tizen 3.0 OS
Sprint has been rolling out the Android 9.0 Pie-based Tizen 3.0 update to the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge smartphones. The update brings a few useful features to the devices, but the most important one is the new version of the OS — Android 13. The Tizen 3.0 is the last update for these devices and has now been replaced by Android 13, which will be available soon for the users. The Tizen 3.0 update has been hitting the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge users since the beginning of this year, but the update has started to roll out to some other devices as well.
Conclusion
Android 13 will be the first version of the OS to be based on the new ‘NaCl’ (New C language) designed to bring new features to the OS and will be available for the majority of smartphones in the first half of 2019. However, the first Android 13-based device, the Galaxy M42 5G, is expected to come to market in Q4 this year.