Although Google has made Android 13 official and rolled it out to Pixel devices, that doesn't mean the work stops there. While the release is complete, there could be many different bugs and small issues within the OS that need to be fixed. This is where the Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) comes into play, allowing those in the beta program early access to fixes and improvements. Google has now announced the release of Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1.
The update is now live and available for supported Pixel devices like the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6 devices. As mentioned before, QPR releases offer improvements or enhancements to Android that are not available to the public yet. For the Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1 release, you can check below for the specific issues that were addressed.
Developer-reported issues:
- Fixed an issue for some devices that mistakenly caused a user's emergency contact to be dialed from the lock screen when the device was in their pocket.
Other resolved issues:
- Fixed various issues for Pixel 6a devices that made it difficult for users to unlock their device or to set up Fingerprint Unlock.
- Fixed an issue that caused the system UI to crash in certain cases, such as gesturing from the edge of the screen to go back.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the 5G icon to be displayed instead of the 5G UW icon, even when the affected device was already successfully connected to a 5G UW network.
If you want to experience these changes before they roll out in official releases, you can enroll in the beta program for your supported device. If you were previously enrolled in the Android 13 beta, you should still be enrolled to receive QPR updates. By enrolling, you can give feedback to the developers and help identify potential issues that might arrive with the QPR release. You can do this by using the Issue Tracker. If you are not, you can sign up by visiting the Android beta website, which is in the source link.
When you sign in with your Google account, you will see all eligible devices for the program. If you choose to opt into the program with an eligible device, you will be asked to accept the terms and conditions. You will also have the option of receiving emails about the program and also declaring yourself as a developer. Furthermore, you can join the official Reddit group to share your thoughts or problems with regard to the latest updates. You can also manually download the installation here.
While discovering new features is exciting, please note that this is a beta, so there could be issues that you encounter while using your device. If the phone is your daily, it might not be the best idea to enroll in the program. While you can revert back to a stable version of Android if you opt out, it will require you to wipe your device and start fresh.
Source: Android Beta Program