Android 13 Could Feature a New Tap-to-Transfer Feature for Media Playback

Android 13 remains to be a number of months away however particulars of a brand new audio and media-related characteristic, within the works for the subsequent iteration of Google’s working system for smartphones, has been noticed on-line. Google is reportedly engaged on a brand new characteristic that would enable customers to maneuver media playback between units. The characteristic might supply comparable performance as Apple’s Handoff characteristic that permits iPhone house owners to switch media to and from the corporate’s HomePod audio system. Google can be engaged on redesigning the working system’s output picker for media on Android 13, as per one other report.

In a mockup of a brand new consumer interface of a “Media Tap to Transfer” (TTT) workflow sourced by Android Police, Google is proven to be engaged on a characteristic to tell customers on their Android telephones (or “media cast sender” machine) of accessible audio units (or “media cast receiver” units) close by. The characteristic might work with Google’s Casting protocol, utilized in its Chromecast units and its good audio system, in keeping with the report.

A mockup of the Tap-to-Transfer characteristic asking a consumer to maneuver nearer to the ‘receiver’ machine
Photo Credit: Android Police

It can be value noting that the demo of the characteristic leaked by Android Police exhibits a small on-screen chip advising a consumer to maneuver nearer to the machine as a way to play audio. This means that the characteristic might use {hardware} on a consumer’s machine like an Ultra-wideband (UWB) chip or Near Field Communication (NFC), in keeping with the report. Apple presently helps comparable performance with HomePod audio system as a part of its Handoff feature. However, it’s presently unclear whether or not Google units might be supported, or the performance might be accessible to different units.

In the in the meantime, in keeping with one other report by Android Police, Google may be redesigning the audio output picker for the subsequent Android model, or Android 13. The output picker is a characteristic that was added in Android 10 permitting customers to pick out from an inventory of accessible units that may play music close to them, akin to good audio system, wi-fi earbuds and extra. In the work-in-progress have a look at the brand new output picker sourced by Android Police, Google seems to have given the picker rounded corners, redesigned quantity sliders displaying the machine’s title, lively units are denoted with a tick, whereas unavailable units are greyed out.

As there are nonetheless a number of months till the subsequent model of Android is launched, it’s too early to inform whether or not the MTT characteristic might be accessible in its present type, or whether or not it’ll even make it to the subsequent Android launch. Google might additionally resolve to carry the characteristic again for longer, such because the scrolling screenshots characteristic that was not prepared in time for Android 11. Similarly, the redesigned output picker might additionally see enhancements or redesigns earlier than the subsequent model of Android (or Android 13) is launched later this yr.