Android’s Hidden Desktop Mode Gets BIG Upgrade

For years, the promise of a true desktop experience powered by Android has lingered, often feeling like a half-forgotten experiment. While Samsung's DeX and Motorola's ReadyFor have offered functional solutions, Google's own efforts to build a robust desktop mode within Android have remained in the realm of developer tools. As I discussed in my article and video back in March, this feature has technically been present since Android 10 in 2019, but its utility for the average user has been virtually nonexistent.

Baby Steps..

The crucial first step towards a usable desktop mode finally arrived in March of 2024 when Google enabled video output on modern Pixel phones, allowing users to mirror their phone's display on an external monitor. This was the foundational piece needed for the kind of experience we're talking about: connecting your phone to a monitor, pairing a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and having something appear on that external screen.

With the Android 14 Beta, improvements to the desktop mode were found, but many important features remained absent. You could launch apps and move them around inside windows showing the potential for what might be coming, but we needed much more. A typical desktop user interface almost always has some sort of taskbar to manage open apps as well to launch new ones.

Android 16 Beta 4

Now, it seems Google is taking a significant leap forward. As reported by Mishaal Rahman on Android Authority, a genuine first look at Google's own Android desktop mode has been unveiled, enabled within the Android 16 beta 4. While it's unlikely this full implementation will be present in the initial public release of Android 16, it strongly suggests that Google is finally serious about creating a viable competitor to Samsung DeX.

One of the most exciting aspects revealed is the presence of a proper taskbar at the bottom of the screen. This is a fundamental element of any desktop operating system, providing a space for minimized applications and quick launching of pinned apps. The taskbar shown looks remarkably similar to the one found on Pixel devices. On the left, you have the familiar app drawer shortcut, pinned applications in the center, and recently opened apps on the right. Tapping these icons launches the respective apps in a windowed mode.

This windowed approach is a key differentiator from the behavior on devices like the Pixel Fold or Pixel Tablet, where launching an app typically defaults to full screen. Here, you have the flexibility to drag a second app upwards for a split-screen view, or even click a maximize button (reminiscent of Windows) to go full screen when needed. Interestingly, the app drawer accessed from the taskbar doesn't take over the entire screen, offering a more Chrome OS-like experience.

Another image showcases the familiar Android notification shade and quick settings panel. While it retains the standard Pixel layout with quick settings on the left and notifications on the right, it appears that some of the visual overhaul changes we've discussed previously (giving that frosted glass look) are also present in this desktop environment. Overall, the initial look is promising, suggesting a solid foundation for a functional desktop mode.

While Michelle's video does highlight some early UI quirks when launching apps from the taskbar, the core functionality seems to be in place. Window management appears to be largely implemented, allowing users to drag apps to the side to snap them into place, similar to Windows' snap layouts. Dragging content between compatible apps is also reportedly working. Importantly, throughout this desktop experience, the phone itself remains free for other tasks.

This progress is significant, finally pushing towards a true, built-in DeX competitor within Android. It's also worth noting the existing desktop-like environment already present on the Pixel Tablet. By dragging down a handle at the top of applications, the Pixel Tablet transitions into a very similar windowed mode. This makes the advancements seen in the Android 16 beta for phones feel like a natural extension of Google's existing efforts.

Personally, I'm hopeful that this development will eventually extend to other Android tablets and perhaps even the Pixel Fold, offering a more versatile local desktop experience on the device itself, not just on an external display. It's certainly intriguing that after years of neglecting the built-in desktop mode, Google has simultaneously launched a polished version for the Pixel Tablet and is now actively developing a robust solution for Pixel phones.

Could all of this be hinting at a deeper convergence between Chrome OS and Android? The similarities in the desktop environments certainly raise that possibility, perhaps suggesting a future where Chromebooks simply run a more integrated version of Android with this very desktop experience. These are indeed strange times in the tech landscape, and the future of Android on larger screens looks increasingly interesting.