Latest news with #FrancescoRomano
Hans India
26-05-2025
- Hans India
Google to Roll Out Desktop Mode Testing for Android 16 on External Displays
In a move aimed at transforming smartphones into more powerful productivity tools, Google has announced that Android 16 will introduce a new desktop mode. This much-anticipated feature will allow users to connect their Android phones to external displays and use them in a desktop-like environment. Revealed at the Google I/O 2025 developer conference, the update will soon be available in a future quarterly beta release of Android 16. It expands on the groundwork laid in Android 15, which first brought freeform windowing to tablets. With Android 16, Google is refining this concept, adapting it for external monitors. The new desktop mode includes a dedicated taskbar that lets users launch pinned or recent apps in resizable windows, closely resembling the experience of using a desktop computer. During the Developer Keynote, Google announced a collaboration with Samsung to fine-tune the feature. By building on Samsung's DeX platform, Google has developed a system that supports independent multitasking across both the phone's screen and an external display. The platform-level support for external displays will be part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and made available through upcoming developer previews. Francesco Romano, Developer Relations Engineer at Google, confirmed these updates will debut in the Android 16 QPR1 beta. 'These updates will allow Android devices to manage two displays independently,' he explained. 'Apps will remain tied to individual screens, and users can move windows, content, and even the mouse cursor between displays.' Technical details shared during the conference noted that windows will have a minimum size of 386 x 352 dp. The system will also support custom app headers and enable desktop sessions to stretch across both internal and external displays—on supported devices. Though the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 does not yet include the new tools, Google assured developers that a preview with external display and windowing support is on the way.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Google to let users test Android 16 desktop mode on phones with external display support, here's how
Google has announced that Android phone users will soon be able to test the new desktop mode feature in Android 16. The update, revealed during the Google I/O 2025 developer conference, will bring desktop-like functionality to Android devices when connected to external displays. This feature will roll out in a future quarterly beta release of Android 16. Android 16 Brings Desktop Mode to Phones The desktop mode builds on earlier work introduced in Android 15 for tablets, where Google first experimented with freeform windowing systems. Android 16 will expand this approach by adapting those windowing tools for use on external monitors. The system includes a taskbar for launching pinned or recent apps in resizable windows, creating a layout similar to a traditional desktop environment. Also read: Why Restarting Your Router is a Thing of the Past? During the Developer Keynote, Google confirmed its collaboration with Samsung to enhance this functionality. The team used the foundation of Samsung's DeX platform to create a system that supports multitasking and independent operation of internal and external displays. Android 16 will also introduce platform-level support for connected displays. According to Google, this support will be part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and will appear in the upcoming developer previews. Also read: Google I/O 2025: AI Mode rolls out in Search, know how it will benefit users Upcoming Beta and Key Features Francesco Romano, a Developer Relations Engineer at Google, confirmed that these updates will appear in Android 16 QPR1's upcoming beta versions. The new features allow devices to manage two displays independently. Apps will remain specific to each screen, and users can shift windows, content, and the mouse cursor between them. Additional technical details shared during the conference include a minimum window size of 386 x 352 dp, support for custom app headers, and the ability for desktop sessions to extend across both internal and external displays when compatible devices are used. Also read: Google I/O 2025: Gemini Live with camera now free for everyone, Veo 3 for AI Ultra and other reveals While Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 does not yet include these tools, Google confirmed that a developer preview supporting external display functions and desktop windowing will arrive shortly. These changes aim to improve productivity by turning Android phones into more versatile tools when paired with larger screens. First Published Date: 23 May, 09:08 IST
