One enhancement in Android 13 allows users to choose whether an app should open in their personal or professional profile. Google offers one use for this: preventing corporate videos from appearing on individual YouTube watchlists. Additionally, for a more tailored sharing experience with personal and professional apps, employees can have two photo galleries on their devices (one for personal usage and the other for work).
The new features in Android 13 are designed to make it easier to use a single device for both work and leisure. In order to keep an employee’s personal data distinct from their work data, improve the user experience, and increase productivity while still complying to an IT department’s admin standards, Google claims that Android 13’s revised “work profiles” expand upon last year’s improvements.
Highlights
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More features are listed as “coming soon” to Android 13. Lost Mode will allow IT admins to lock down access and locate lost or stolen company-owned devices, while Stay Private on Work Wi-Fi will automatically encrypt traffic when personal profiles are toggled by an employee for use on a company’s wireless network. And finally, employees will be able to securely manage messages, notifications, and pictures on their phones from company-issued Chromebooks.
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Android 13 also adds smart dictation to work profile apps for Pixel users which Google says will keep “corporate jargon dictated for work emails out of personal chats.” Meanwhile, a new central hub feature allows employees to more easily manage their device security and privacy settings, and see what data is shared with company admins and any restrictions they’ve placed on devices. Admins also have more control over Wi-Fi connectivity on devices, adding security logs for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and password activities in line with National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP).