Asus Zenfone 9 Android 13 update is rolling out, includes design changes and improvements

Asus Zenfone 9 will be the first Asus smartphone to receive the Android 13 update. The company had recently tweeted its Android 13 rollout plan which listed the Zenfone 9 Android 13 update to be rolled out starting in December. Now, the company has officially announced the start of the rollout and also released a release note. Deployment should begin gradually. The gimbal-stabilized rear camera titled Zenfone 9 was launched by the company in July this year.

The official release note released by Asus on Thursday states that the Android 13 update has firmware version number 33.0804.2060.65. The message is accompanied by a code WW/EU_33.0804.2060.65, suggesting that the version is currently rolling out for users in the European region. The note also mentions that its servers will release the update to different device serial numbers in a phased manner. Therefore, it remains to be seen if the full rollout is accomplished before Christmas, which is fast approaching.

Asus Zenfone 9 users who want to check if their devices have received the update can do so by going to Settings > System > System Updates. Asus has also provided users with a way to manually update their firmware on their Asus Zenfone 9 devices through the official Asus website.

According to the release notes, Asus’ latest Android 13 update includes redesigned apps such as Mobile Manager, Contacts, Phone, Emergency Dialer, File Manager, Calculator, Clock, Gallery, Weather, Voice Recorder, Settings, Data Transfer, Local Backup, and other Asus apps. The Quick Settings panel, notification bar, and volume rocker panel have also been redesigned based on the aesthetics of Android 13.

The “Wallpaper and Style” setting of the latest OS now supports themed icons in more color options.

Other aesthetic designs and changes on the latest operating system include the dial pad and contact details page in the Asus Phone app which has been redesigned to display information more clearly. The ASUS Launcher also boasts a “Quick Link Sharing” feature and a Customize App feature that allows one-click customization settings to be applied.

The release note mentions, however, that some third-party apps may not currently be compatible with Android 13.

The power button menu has also been changed to remove “Quiet” and “Stylish” options, while a display management option has been added to allow the user to control the number of buttons that the power menu displays by long pressing.

Asus has also introduced a notification feature under each of the apps in the Settings menu which will allow users to view and manage the permissions an app is currently using. The system clipboard on the latest operating system has also been modified to include new “Auto-Delete” and “Editor” features for faster typing.

Asus’ latest Android 13-based operating system’s lock screens will feature QR code scanner icons for easy accessibility. Meanwhile, security and lock settings will have a “Control from Locked Device” feature.

The Asus Zenfone 8 series has been named as the next smartphone to start receiving the Android 13 update. According to Asus’ schedule, the update is expected to start rolling out from January 2023.

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