Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Over the past few years, Google has made major changes to the Android OS to better accommodate tablets and other large-screen devices. These include new features like a taskbar, desktop windowing, enhanced drag-and-drop support, improved app adaptability, and more. Despite these improvements, most people would agree that Android tablets still have a long way to go before they can replace PCs, largely because of their limited multitasking capabilities.
Thankfully, we know that Google is working to improve Android’s multitasking capabilities. The company is making big changes to the platform in preparation for Android-powered PCs, and these changes will benefit not only future Android PCs but also existing Android tablets. One such change Google has been exploring is the ability to launch any Android app in a floating bubble, taking a niche feature currently reserved for messaging apps and turning it into a powerful, general-purpose multitasking feature.
When we first reported on this “bubble anything” feature a year ago, we were excited by its potential to transform multitasking on Android, especially when combined with the new bubble bar on tablets. This combination of features would allow you to easily multitask with two, three, or more Android apps at once, even on smaller tablets that can’t comfortably fit more than two apps on screen.
Unfortunately, Google never ended up releasing this “bubble anything” feature. We assumed this was because the company had scrapped it, as it often does with features that don’t work out or become redundant. However, we’ve discovered new evidence suggesting Google hasn’t scrapped the feature but has instead tweaked it to better fit in with the existing tablet interface. You’re reading the Authority Insights Newsletter, a weekly newsletter that reveals some new facet of Android that hasn’t been reported on anywhere else. If you’re looking for the latest scoops, the hottest leaks, and breaking news on Google’s Android operating system and other mobile tech topics, then we’ve got you covered.
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Android tablets may soon be able to launch any app in a floating bubble New code within the latest 2510 Android Canary release reveals Google’s plans to add a new way to create a floating bubble: dragging an app’s icon to the bottom corners of the screen. I found new strings within the Pixel Launcher app, which is responsible for both the home screen and the taskbar. These strings suggest that the educational promo appearing when you first interact with the taskbar will add a new tutorial. Here’s what the educational promo currently looks like:
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
The new tutorial Google’s working on will inform users that they can “drag [an app] to the bottom corners to make it float.” An accompanying animation will show “how to create a bubble from the taskbar using a drag gesture.”
Here are the relevant strings that I found:
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