Asus Zenfone 9 Android 13 Update Rolling Out Now, Includes Design Changes and Improvements

Asus Zenfone 9 is going to be the first Asus smartphone to get the Android 13 update. The company had recently tweeted its Android 13 rollout plan that listed the Zenfone 9's Android 13 update to roll out from December onwards. Now, the company has officially announced the commencement of the rollout and also issued a release note. The rollout should begin in a phased manner. The gimbal stabilised rear camera headlined Zenfone 9 was launched by the company in July this year.

The official release note posted by Asus on Thursday says the Android 13 update carries the firmware version number 33.0804.2060.65. The post comes with a WW/EU_33.0804.2060.65 code, suggesting that the release is currently rolling out to users in the European region. The note also mentions that its servers will be pushing out the update to different device serial numbers in a phased manner. Hence, it remains to be seen if the complete roll-out is accomplished before Christmas, which is fast approaching.

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

According to the release notes, the latest Android 13 update from Asus includes redesigned apps such as Mobile Manager, Contacts, Phone, Emergency Dialer, File Manager, Calculator, Clock, Gallery, Weather, Sound recorder, Settings, Data Transfer, Local backup, and other Asus apps. The Quick Settings panel, notification tray, and volume toggle panel has also been redesigned based on Android 13 aesthetics.

The 'Wallpaper and style' setting on the latest OS now supports themed icons in more colour options.

Other designs and aesthetic changes on the latest OS include the dial pad, and contact details page in the stock Asus Phone app that has been tweaked to display information in a clearer manner. The ASUS Launcher is also getting a 'link quick share' feature and a customization application feature that allows for customisation settings to be applied commonly with a single click.

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

The power button menu has also been tweaked to remove the 'Calm' and 'Elegant' options while a display management option has been added that will allow the user to control the number of buttons the power menu displays on long press.

Asus has also introduced a notification feature under each of the apps in the Settings menu that will allow users to view and manage the permissions that an app is currently using. The system clipboard on the latest OS has also been tweaked to include new 'Auto Delete' and 'Editor' features for quicker input.

Lockscreens on the latest Android 13-based OS from Asus will feature QR code scanner icons for easy accessibility. Meanwhile, the Security and Lockscreen settings will have a "Control from locked device" feature.

The Asus Zenfone 8 series has been lined up as the next smartphone to start receiving the Android 13 update. According to Asus' timeline, the update should start rolling out from January 2023 onwards.