When you update your smartphone to Android 13, you’ll discover new features and changes like Material You support for third-party app icons, the ability to disable app notifications right away, and scheduling dark mode at bedtime, among a host of other options. Of course, in order to try out these new Android 13 features, you need to install the update, and unfortunately, not all Android phones can handle Android 13 right now (some never will).
Why does it take so long for some phones to get Android 13?
Android is a unique OS. Google develops it, including its new updates, but Google’s version isn’t the one popping up on most phones. After Google creates a new version of Android (e.g. Android 13), smartphone manufacturers create their own version of that update, called a skin. For example, Samsung makes “One UI,” OnePlus makes “OxygenOS,” and Asus makes “ZenUI,” just to highlight a few.
These skins all tweak Android to fit particular devices and ecosystems, but they’re all based on the same underlying Android version. OneUI 5.0 and OxygenOS 13 are both variations of Android 13, and all the new features Google included with it.
While Google has made strives in recent years to improve Android adoption across the many smartphone manufacturers, it’s still painfully slow. The only surefire way to receive the latest version of Android as soon as it rolls out is to buy a Pixel, Google’s own line of phones.
Google Pixel phones that support Android 13
Google’s list of supported Pixel devices isn’t shabby, but does off some otherwise capable phones. The company no longer supports Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a, which means those devices will never see Android 13. However, those of us with a Pixel 4 or newer are still in the game:
Pixel 4
Pixel 4 XL
Pixel 4a
Pixel 4a 5G
Pixel 5
Pixel 5a 5G
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
Pixel 6a
Samsung Galaxy devices that support Android 13 (OneUI 5.0)
Following close second behind Google in Android adoption is Samsung. The company rolls out new versions of Android with relative speed, though there is a waiting period when judged against the Pixels. Samsung also prioritizes its newer smartphones for the latest Android updates, though earlier Galaxy generations may become compatible with the update in the future.
This month, Samsung rolled out OneUI 5.0 for many of its recent smartphones, including:
Galaxy S22
Galaxy S22+
Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S21
Galaxy S21+
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Galaxy Note 20
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Galaxy S20
Galaxy S20+
Galaxy S20 Ultra
However, there is a long list of Galaxy devices that will soon receive OneUI 5.0. The most recent Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold devices should get the update this month, while plenty of Samsung’s Galaxy A and Galaxy M series devices will receive the update sometime between from December and April.
Vivo iQOO (Origin OS Ocean)
Vivo does not sell its iQOO line in the US, but it does have two devices now running Android 13, through Origin OS Ocean:
vivo iQOO 11
viva iQOO Neo7
That’s it (for now)
Unfortunately, that’s the entire list of supported Android 13 phones as it stands. Like I said, Android phones are slow to adopt new updates, so the list is small, but growing. Samsung only started updating their phones this month, and OnePlus is currently beta testing OxygenOS 13 for its suite of phones.
Google also confirmed other Android OEMs are working on bringing Android 13 to their devices this year. The list includes Asus, HMD (Nokia phones), Motorola, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi.