With Pixel 8, Google may finally have an answer to Samsung DeX

Google is gearing as much as launch the Pixel 8 collection later this 12 months, and one of the crucial thrilling enhancements it might convey to the desk could have simply leaked: desktop mode.Yes, Google could lastly roll out a Pixel telephone with correct show output and desktop mode help, in accordance with a brand new report from Kamila Wojciechowska for Android Authority. I can already hear Samsung followers say one thing alongside the traces of: “Who cares? Google’s just copying another feature that Samsung has offered for years!” While it’s true that Google doesn’t look like bringing something new to the desk, there’s nonetheless lots to be gained from Google making its personal model of Samsung DeX. Because it’s not simply Pixel gadgets that’ll profit, it’s each Android machine. Here’s why.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Why Pixel and Android’s desktop mode issuesIf you concentrate on the place we had been at with Android gadgets within the early 2010s, it’s cheap to assume that Android on massive screens can be much more common than it truly is immediately. Google clearly thought so, contemplating the corporate’s {hardware} division made 5 of its personal Android tablets: the Nexus 7 (2012), the Nexus 7 (2013), the Nexus 9, the Nexus 10, and the Pixel Tablet C. But Google later bought chilly toes on placing its OS onto bigger screens, even going as far as to cancel all of its plans for making any new pill…till they launched the Pixel Tablet this 12 months, after all. (Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Google’s rise-from-the-ashes second didn’t come from wherever, although. They’ve returned after record-high demand for tablets was seen throughout the pandemic. They’ve put years of labor into addressing lots of the issues that soured folks on Android tablets within the first place. Lastly, they’re capitalizing on a brand new class of large-screen gadgets that has a severe likelihood of changing into the brand new commonplace — the foldable. That final level is the explanation why I believe builders this time round want to concentrate to what Google’s doing with Android on massive screens. In the previous, optimizing an app for a large-screen Android machine meant you possibly can get it to run on a handful of extra gadgets, virtually all of which had been tablets. Today, nonetheless, a large-screen optimized Android app can discover a place on the house display screen of foldable telephones, Chromebooks, and even Windows PCs. To assist builders optimize their apps for these bigger display screen platforms, Google has launched new instruments, libraries, documentation, and Android platform options for the reason that launch of Android 12L final 12 months. This is why it’s essential that Google is instantly concerned in every platform; in the event that they didn’t have pores and skin within the recreation, then many of those developments would have by no means occurred. And since Google is the maker of Android’s major growth instruments and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository from which all Android-based OSes are derived from, virtually every little thing that Google does to enhance Android by itself {hardware} — like the brand new Pixel Fold — trickles downstream to all different Android gadgets in the identical class. Remember the letterboxing characteristic I discussed the opposite day? Google is utilizing it on the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold in order that apps that attempt to pressure portrait mode are as an alternative displayed in panorama orientation however with a letterbox. You can double faucet to reposition! pic.twitter.com/Hxl8ZTApsoMay 10, 2023See extraInstead of displaying portrait-locked apps of their most well-liked orientation, the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold make use of a brand new characteristic Google launched in Android 12 that enables the system to override the app’s orientation choice. This means customers received’t need to flip their machine over to make use of sure apps, and builders received’t have to fret about their apps being stretched. This Android 12 characteristic is offered to all OEMs.So the revelation that Google could be working by itself model of DeX for Pixel telephones ought to have each DeX fan excited moderately than unimpressed. But it’s not simply DeX followers that ought to stay up for this characteristic: Motorola gadgets have their very own model of DeX referred to as “Ready For” that’s in some methods higher than DeX. Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO additionally supply desktop mode experiences. As for each different machine that at the moment doesn’t supply any type of desktop mode expertise, they’ll particularly reap the advantages of Google’s work because it’ll all be added to Android’s open-source basis. Well, possibly not each machine will profit, as Android’s desktop mode could solely work on gadgets that correctly help show output over USB-C. That would imply, out of Google’s lineup of Pixel telephones, solely the upcoming Pixel 8 collection will help desktop mode, if the Android Authority report is to be believed.Although, Google has been testing desktop mode on present Pixel telephones for the final couple of months, and I can see how Google might get it to work on present Pixels that don’t help show output over USB-C. It’s additionally doable they may convey desktop mode to the Pixel Tablet in the identical approach that DeX operates on Galaxy tablets, ie. it runs on-device along with externally for the reason that display screen’s sufficiently big! Since we’re months away from the Pixel 8’s launch, although, we don’t know the specifics about which Pixels will get desktop mode. What we do know is that they’re engaged on desktop mode, and we’re not simply saying that due to Kamila’s observe file: The characteristic is already current within the Android beta releases for us to check out.A have a look at Android’s WIP desktop mode Longtime readers could do not forget that Android already has a desktop mode characteristic. Since Android 10, there’s been a “force desktop mode” toggle tucked below developer choices. Enabling this setting, although, doesn’t do you a lot good. At worst, nothing will occur as a result of your telephone doesn’t help show output; at finest, Android’s barebones desktop mode interface will pop up whenever you join your machine to an exterior show. And after I say barebones I imply barebones.The Pixel Launcher’s “secondary display activity” is what’ll probably be proven when a Pixel 8 is related to an exterior show, if the rumors are correct. In its present state, this interface can finest be described as barebones. (Image credit score: Android Central)There’s extra to the story, although. While the launcher interface is barebones proper now, that’s solely as a result of Google hasn’t been engaged on this specific side of its desktop mode overhaul, no less than so far as I do know. Instead, they’re specializing in one thing much more essential: Improving how Android apps behave in freeform home windows.When desktop mode is energetic, apps on Android achieve what Google calls a “window caption” (mainly the title bar from desktop OSes). The design of this window caption has advanced over the Android 13 QPR and Android 14 beta releases, however within the newest Beta 3 launch, it seems to be like this:When desktop mode is activated in Android 14 Beta 3, freeform home windows achieve a “window caption” that incorporates the app’s title, icon, and a dropdown menu to shortcuts for taking a screenshot, deciding on textual content within the window, or closing the window. (Image credit score: Android Central)(Image credit score: Android Central)Google nonetheless has a LOT of labor to do earlier than desktop mode is able to ship, judging by the present state of the characteristic. The Pixel 8’s launch remains to be months away, although, so if this characteristic does launch with the brand new Pixels this fall, Google nonetheless has loads of time to shine it. Changes I’m wanting ahead to incorporate a greater launcher interface just like the one discovered on DeX and window snapping help like on Windows. If the Pixel’s desktop mode even comes near Samsung’s DeX or Motorola’s Ready For, then it’s excellent news for these amongst us who dream of utilizing their telephone as their workstation. Android nonetheless has an extended technique to go earlier than it will probably problem desktop working programs, however Google in all probability doesn’t intend for Android to do this anyway (they’ve already bought Chrome OS for that). Still, as an increasing number of builders proceed to optimize their apps for big screens, this setup will solely change into extra sensible over time. I’m all right here for the desktop-ification of Android, what about you?
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