What you need to know
- Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL get Android 13 through LineageOS 20.
- The official support for these devices ended in 2020 with Android 11.
- LineageOS 20, based on Android 13, was first introduced in December 2022.
Custom ROMs have always been a godsend for Android device enthusiasts who like to play or tweak their smartphones more often than regular consumers. The process generally unlocks a device's full potential or gives new life to a device that is usually abandoned by the OEM for quite some time.
The latest smartphone to benefit from the LineageOS custom ROM is the Google Pixel 2 series: the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. The second-gen devices from Google were dropped from official support back in 2020 with Android 11.
Meanwhile, LineageOS has recently dropped a new build for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL devices, which essentially gives the aging phones Android 13. The support for the second-gen Android devices from Google comes amongst other devices like BQ Aquaris X, BQ Aquaris X Pro, Nubia Z17, and Nubia Z18 Mini (via XDA Developers).
The LineageOS 20 (based on Android 13) was first introduced in December 2022 and was first released to consumers with older Pixel phones and other devices. Like any other custom ROMs, LineageOS 20 includes the latest security patches and exclusive features like a new camera app dubbed "Aperture."
Lineage provides a set of new features that users can expect with the latest LineageOS 20 builds. The new build gives the latest Android 13 software and includes some nifty UI changes to the volume panel, amongst others. Some promising changes can be witnessed in the Android TV layout with the new Updater app in the LineageOS 20.
If you have your Pixel 2 series tucked away in your drawer, now is the ideal time to bring them to new life. Pixel owners can head to the LineageOS website to get the latest Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL builds, that is if you're brave enough to give it a go. It also provides flashing instructions step by step to make the process hassle-free.
If you want the latest official software from Google, the Pixel 7 is the way to get it. It runs Android 13 and is eligible for the beta program that gets you access to upcoming features before anyone else.
