Android 13 raises the minimum system requirements to 2GB RAM and 16GB storage.

Android 13 hit the streets recently, and with it, Google is raising the minimum requirements for Android phones. In a recent Google blog post, it was announced that the minimum RAM for Android Go, the low end version of Android, is now 2GB for Android 13, up from 1GB. Esper’s Mishaal Rahman and Google product expert Jason Byton also claim that the minimum storage requirement has been increased to 16GB, though Google does not appear to have publicly documented this anywhere.

The increase in system requirements means that any phone that doesn’t meet the minimum specifications will not be able to upgrade to Android 13. New phones launching with Android 13 will need to meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for Play Store licensing, although launching with an older version Android (lower requirements) will still be possible for a while. Technically, anyone can get the Android source code and build anything with it, but if you want to license Google apps and have access to Google’s “Android”trademark, you’ll need to follow Google’s policies.

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While these are just phone requirements, a minimum of 16GB of storage would be a great idea to deploy across all form factors in the Android ecosystem. Last month, Protocol reported that Google was “strongly encouraging”smart TV and streaming device makers to ship with 16GB of storage. Google’s Android-based Chromecast with Google TV only has 8GB of storage and is a constant source of problems. It’s so bad that we wouldn’t be surprised if a cheaper model is rumored to offer more storage.