When talking about desktop mode in Android, the first thing that comes to mind is Samsung's DeX and Motorola's Ready For solutions. Although these two are currently the most advanced solutions, there is also a separate desktop mode within the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Google is preparing to develop this mode with Android 15.
Desktop mode was first added to AOSP with Android 10. Google offered a very simple experience in the first place, thus enabling developers to test their applications in different scenarios. In the desktop mode, which has been gradually developed since then, two applications can now be used side by side on the screen, and many applications can be run at the same time thanks to the multi-window experience.
It seems that Google has made some progress in improving the multi-window Android experience. By reviewing developer markings in the latest Android 14 QPR3 2.1 beta, Android Authority discovered some interesting new additions.
It is possible to see the new multi-window experience in the video shared by Android Authority and which you can watch above. But basically, there's now a new title bar with a small menu that appears when you tap the little handle at the top of the full-screen app.
The menu includes full screen, split screen or freeform mode options. When switched to freeform mode, windows can be dragged and resized freely. The “snap to edge” feature allows you to snap a window to the left or right half of the screen. You can even skip the entire menu and jump directly from the full-screen app to a free-form window by holding down and dragging the new handle at the top of the full-screen app. Notably, there are still no window positioning or keyboard shortcuts for capturing. A proper desktop launcher is also not yet available.
Google will offer comprehensive productivity improvements with Android 15
Google will offer these comprehensive productivity and usability improvements with Android 15. It also seems likely that the company will market some of these among the Pixel 9's capabilities.