Android 16 Might Copy OnePlus Open’s Open Canvas For Split Screening
When I talk about my affinity for the Pixel Fold, one of the top limitations I see complaints about almost every time is the fact that these devices, and devices like it that run something close to stock Android, can only have two apps open at a time. Now, a new report from Android Authority indicates that this limitation might be addressed with Android 16.
Despite the fact that Android 16 is still quite a ways out from release, enterprising individuals like Mishaal Rahman have managed to glean new information about the upcoming release by digging into the available developer previews which have been released. By doing this, Mishaal uncovered indication that Android 16 might be set to introduce a split screening system that sounds similar to what OnePlus and Oppo introduced with the Open and Find N3, Open Canvas.
What separates Open Canvas from what OEMs like Samsung do is that rather than simply allowing three apps on screen at once by shrinking two of them down into tiny squares, Open Canvas just tosses the third app right next to the other two and allows it to slide off screen. Tapping on what you can see of it cause it to slide in and pushes the app on the other far side off the same way. This allows users to quickly switch between three applications.
As things currently stand, with Pixel devices and devices using something close to stock Android, all you can do is have two apps side by side with a Picture in Picture window if you so desire. Rather impressively, Mishaal was able to not only uncover mention of this new “flexible” split screen mode, he was also able to enable it - kind of. He says that while he was able to see the split windowing system show him a third place to place an app, he was unable to actually get it to complete that action. The previews is shows do seem to strongly indicate that this might look very similar to Open Canvas.
Bear in mind that with things like this found buried in a developer preview, it’s possible that this will never see the light of day. Still, it’s interesting to think about and even more interesting to consider how it would work on a device like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, where it is certainly needed to compete with the likes of OnePlus and Samsung. Taken alongside a similarly buried Desktop Mode feature found in an Android 15 QPR release and it’s clear Google is actively looking at how to make Android better suited for the power users among us. I just hope one day they decide to release this stuff and that maybe one day they bless us with the gift of floating windows…
Source: Android Authority