Android 4.3 is still a twinkle in a developer's eye, but there could be clues to what to expect in the next iteration of the open-source operating system.
There's no way to know exactly what new features Android 4.3 will bring to smartphones and tablets, but it's often possible to extrapolate from new or recently announced features.
In addition, developers are no more prescient than the public, so the features they decide to implement are often those they think should be available or will be well-received.
So examining developers' chatter can offer a glimpse into what lies ahead. Later this month, HTC devs will discuss new features being implemented on a few of their devices that consumers can expect to see in wider release in the future.
"Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) on Android has arrived," HTC said on a message board. The low-power option is necessary to run background and long-term operations, like "heart rate monitors, key finders, and multi-sensor kits (temperature, pressure, humidity, accelerometer)," HTC said. That likely includes small, constantly-runnign devices like Google Glass. They also announced other developers would be able to use the source code, so expect plenty more options for the tech in the future.
Open GL ES 3.0 is also on tap, with "new pipeline, updated shading language, enhanced texturing" for games and 3-D modeling on Android devices.
While Open GL ES 3.0 has been out since last year, HTC's focus on it around the same time as Google's expected announcements at the Google I/O development conference indicates a renewed emphasis on gaming. Google recently appointed a Chief Game Designer, so it's likely any new software or tech that can improve the gaming experience on mobile devices is a top contender to appear in new versions of Android.
Whatever happens with Android 4.3, the upcoming Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie or Google's I/O conference, we'll keep you posted.