Nokia G50 & Nokia XR20 start getting Android 13

Nokia has released the Android 13 update for some budget smartphones. The Nokia G50 and Nokia XR20 are getting the new Android version in some regions, including Asia and Europe. They follow the Nokia X10 and Nokia X20 in the Android 13 party. The latter two picked up the major update earlier this month.

The Android 13 update for the Nokia G50 comes with firmware version V3.200. The same update for the Nokia XR20 carries the build number V3.220, Both models get the November security patch with this release. While the December patch is already out, this is still a relatively new patch that Nokia is sending. More importantly, this update is about Android 13 rather than security releases, so that’s not a problem.

The official changelog provided by Nokia mentions a handful of new features and improvements for the two budget smartphones. For starters, we have themed app icons, which are nothing but Android’s dynamic color. It lets you adjust the color scheme of app icons and other system UI elements to match that of your wallpaper. This ensures a consistent look when navigating the device.

Additionally, a Photo Chooser feature now lets you selectively share your photos and videos with third-party apps, rather than giving the apps access to your entire library. Downloaded apps, meanwhile, won’t start sending notifications until you manually allow them. Last but not least, you get a richer media player with visual improvements for the playback bar and album artwork.

As said earlier, the Android 13 update for the Nokia G50 and Nokia XR20 is now available in some European and Asian countries. A wider launch should follow soon. As usual, the updates will be released in batches and may take some time to reach all eligible units. If you’re using one of these Nokia smartphones, look out for a notification asking you to download the OTA (over the air) update.

More Nokia devices will get Android 13

With Nokia, you shouldn’t expect quick releases of major Android updates or even monthly security updates. Definitely not as fast as Samsung or Google. But if you’re using an eligible Nokia smartphone or tablet, you’ll get Android 13 sooner or later. And as for that eligibility list, the company has not provided any official one. Well, it recently confirmed that the Nokia G11 Plus will get the new Android version. But the Nokia G10, G20, G11, G21, G60 and X30 should also be eligible. We also expect the Nokia T10, T20 and T21 tablets to get Android 13. Stay tuned.