Android 15 is gearing up to introduce an improved desktop mode

Google is actively working on improving the Android desktop mode for Android 15. At the mention of a desktop mode on Android, most people think of Samsung's DeX or Motorola's Ready For. However, not many people know that Google's AOSP has its own desktop mode.

Here's What We Know

It was first released with Android 10 in a very simple form, mainly to allow developers to test their apps in multi-screen scenarios. However, with the release of the first quarterly update to Android 13 in late 2022, Google has started to gradually, albeit slowly, improve the desktop mode, making it more user-friendly.

Google has been working on its multi-window Android desktop experience and has already made some progress. Our colleagues at Android Authority have discovered some interesting new additions resulting from the manipulation of developer flags on the latest Android 14 QPR3 2.1 beta build of Android 14.

The particular focus is on window management, that is, the way multiple Android apps are displayed and managed on the screen. Android already supports split-screen mode, which allows two apps to be displayed side by side. However, desktop operating systems can easily handle three or more windows, which Android does not do so confidently. Google is gradually addressing these shortcomings in the latest versions of Android, though the new desktop mode remains hidden behind flags until it's fully ready.

Important productivity and usability improvements are likely to come with Android 15. Google might even advertise them as part of the Pixel 9's features when those devices are released in the autumn. After all, the tech giant recently included the screen output feature in the Pixel 8 series, which seems to indicate a renewed interest in the feature.

Source: Android Authority