Report: Android Desktop Mode Could Allow Future Tablets to Act as Computers
Back in April, evidence surfaced online revealing that Google was working on improving Android’s desktop mode. Early demos showed that it would be more user-friendly than before with movable windows, though it still lacked some key features. We haven’t heard much about the project since then, until it recently resurfaced in the “latest Android 15 Beta 4.1 release”.
Android expert Mishaal Rahman discovered that Android feature may work on tablet – provided the screen is big enough. In the build, he states that if you go to the Recents view of the device and open the dropdown menu for an app, you will see a new button called “Desktop”.
Tapping that button will turn the app you were on into a floating window. From now on, it behaves just like a browser on Samsung’s New DeX system. The app can be minimized, maximized, docked to the side, or connected to another window. At the bottom is a taskbar with all the currently open software.
Rahman’s demo video shows that you can have multiple windows on the home screen at once. He has Chrome, Gmail, and the Calculator app. While these are basic features that many other operating systems already have, they’re important to point out because they show that the mode has come a long way, as previous versions were pretty bare bones.
Experiences side by side
We found it interesting that desktop mode on Android could potentially coexist with the traditional tablet experience. Imagine having the desktop layout in one case and the traditional tablet layout in the other. You can switch between the two options at any time.
Having two different environments side by side could give Google’s software a unique advantage, since you don’t have to commit to one or the other. It’ll make Android’s desktop mode stand out against Samsung’s New DeX on Galaxy tablets.
Samsung’s version offers a similar experience, complete with a taskbar, app drawer and home screen icons, but takes over the device it’s on. Google’s software has the potential to be more flexible, though that remains to be seen.
Possible launch period
Judging from the deep dive, it seems that Android’s desktop mode won’t be seeing the light of day for a while. The feature is still in development, and while it did appear in Android 15, we doubt it will launch within the next three months.
Mishaal Rahman points out that rumors of a Pixel Tablet 2 have been circulating for a while now. Perhaps Android’s desktop mode will arrive at the same time as the device’s rollout. Granted, that’s just speculation, so take it and this leak with a grain of salt. At the very least, take comfort in the fact that development is still ongoing.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best tablets for 2024.
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