Pixel 4 accidentally receives Android 13 update weeks too early

Android 13 is currently being beta tested and the final stable version of the operating system could be ready for release in July or August. However, a Pixel 4 owner recently received the Android 13 update by accident on June 23, weeks ahead of time. The version number was TP1A.220603.002.A1.

We know what you're thinking. The guy probably had his Pixel 4 signed up for the Android 13 Beta for Pixel program and installed it, but that is not the case. The phone was never signed up for the Android 13 Beta program. When the user received a notification of an update to Android 13, he did not realize what the notification was for until after he had downloaded and installed it.

What the Pixel 4 owner did realize was that Google Pay did not work after he installed the update. Even trying to reinstall the app by using the Google Pay APK installation package was useless, and so was restoring factory settings. One theory that seems plausible is that the version of Android 13 that this Pixel 4 owner received was a special beta variant that Google disseminates to employees that accidentally became available to at least one user.

It's been pointed out that something similar seems to take place every year. Word about the accidental update was reported by MyDrivers (via Gizchina). With Android 13, users will not only be able to match the colors and appearance of Google's app icons to the wallpaper being used on the phone, but they will also be able to match third-party app icons with the wallpaper as well. A new music playback widget will feature a "wavy" playback progress bar.

In Android 13, users will be able to set a language for a particular app that is different than the phone's main language setting. The new photo picker will allow a user to share certain photos with an app without giving that app open access to his complete photo library. And Android 13 will support Bluetooth LE audio; this allows high-quality music to be delivered without taking a huge bite out of the handset's battery life.

The Pixel models that are receiving the Android 13 update this year include the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro.