Android’s Desktop Mode Isn’t for Foldable Screens
For years Pixel users looked at their Samsung Galaxy phone touting brethren with jealousy because their phones could be plugged into an external monitor to trigger a full desktop UI called DeX. Pixel users only had a mostly broken developer option thing they shouldn’t have even been trying to use. Today, that jealousy is nearly over as Google has rolled out their much rumored and significantly revamped Desktop Experience in the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.
Why Not?
As cool as running a proper desktop interface on an external monitor that is being powered by your phone, nerds like me always want more. I’ve long wondered what it would be like to run that desktop interface directly on my Foldable Phone.. Samsung lets users do that on their Galaxy Tabs, so why not on their Galaxy Z Folds? For whatever reason, Samsung has never even discussed this.
Unfortunately, Ars Technica is reporting that Google has no more intention on giving us this option that Samsung has.
Google tells Ars that despite the added screen real estate, foldables like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold won't have on-device windowing like tablets. Phones and foldables will only have the connected display option for the desktop interface. Additionally, it will be up to OEMs to support this feature. Google's phones will support windowing, but some devices that ship with Android 16 will only have the standard display mirroring option for external screens.
Better Use of the Space
If I’m being honest, I get it. While foldable screens are larger, they’re probably not large enough to properly use a desktop UI like this. So, what would make better use of that space? There are several options that Google absolutely could and should go for that other OEMs have already established. The first and most obvious one to me is the ability to launch a floating window on top of whatever app or apps you’re already running. One of the things I miss most when using my Pixel 9 Pro Fold is exactly that. My Z Fold can do it, my Find N5 can do it, my Open can do it.. Why on earth can’t my Pixel?
Lately, there has been some movement on this, but not quite the way that I want. Android Authority has reported on Google’s work on something they’re calling the "Bubble Bar.” The idea here is that any app can be turned into a bubble. This concept has been around for a while and is most commonly used in messaging apps, but now it could be used across the board. In these images from AA, you can see the option to open an app as a bubble which can be quickly expanded or collapsed. On larger screens, Google might use the Bubble Bar as a place where multiple bubbles can be collapsed to.
My only real complaint with this is that these windows must be movable. If they are, this would be a big step up for Pixel devices.
Just Copy OnePlus..
Another great option for improving on-device multitasking is to just rip off OnePlus and Oppo’s Open Canvas/Boundless View. This interface has been nothing short of game changing for me and on larger screens it is simply outstanding. This system allows large screen users to have three apps opened at once, which isn’t necessarily novel. What is novel is the fact that all three apps can be expanded into a full screen view, with the other two sliding just off screen. Users can tap that little bit of exposed app to quickly slide it into view and slide the last app mostly off screen. In practice, this is incredibly intuitive and it makes much better use of the screen real estate than have two tiny squares on screen like Samsung.
Luckily, there have been reports of Google looking into copying this system, at least to some degree.
There Are Options
Even if Google won’t give into the nerdiness and give us desktop mode on our Pixel Fold screen, they have some really good options to take their multitasking up several levels and it actually looks like they might be ready to finally step up to that place they’ve been avoiding for years..