Oppo’s ColorOS 13 update has a built-in pixel feature for message screenshots

Oppo is launching its ColorOS 13 update today and has detailed the features that are on the way for its devices as they upgrade to the flavor of Android 13. Oppo, which like Vivo, OnePlus and other Chinese brands, is controlled by tech giant BBK Electronics – says the update will arrive first this month on the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro, ahead of the release on about 33 additional models in the Find, Reno, A, F, and K series before the end of the year. year.

One of the smaller features worth mentioning is a handy pixel feature that will be available for screenshots in WhatsApp and Messenger chats. A new “Pixelate” option will appear in the editing window, which can be tapped to automatically blur the contact’s name and profile picture (as shown in the animation above). You can also use the tool to manually blur the content of messages. It can be a handy little feature if you want to quickly share a message without revealing every detail.

As you’d expect, ColorOS 13 includes many of the standard features Google built into this year’s Android update, such as improved privacy settings or the ability to mirror Google Messages on a docked Chromebook. There are also some clear similarities with Oppo sub-brand OnePlus’ recently announced OxygenOS 13 update, which runs on the same underlying codebase as ColorOS. The two updates share the same always-on display widget designs, including one for Spotify with built-in playback controls, as well as similar design tweaks with home screen widgets and customizable folders.

But there are also some new features for ColorOS 13 that are yet to be announced for OxygenOS. For example, Oppo has announced a new “Multi-Screen Connect” screen mirroring feature that allows up to three windows of a phone to be displayed on a connected Windows PC. That includes two background apps in addition to a direct mirror of a phone’s display. The connectivity also simplifies the transfer of files between a smartphone and Windows, according to Oppo’s announcement.

Image: Oppo

Another small but potentially useful feature is something Oppo calls ‘Meeting Assistant’, which is designed to improve the reliability of calls via Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet by prioritizing their traffic data over other apps. It also reduces the size of incoming notifications in an effort to make them less distracting during a call.

Upgrades claimed under the hood for ColorOS 13 include the debut of what Oppo calls the “Dynamic Computing Engine,” which it says will extend battery life and allow more apps to stay open in the background.

The launch of ColorOS 13 comes just days after the official release of Android 13 for Pixel devices, making Oppo one of the first third-party Android manufacturers to start rolling out the latest version of Google’s operating system. Check out the image below from Oppo to see the expected timeline when the update will be available for all handsets.

Image: Oppo