Google Treats the Pixel Fold Like a Phone, Not a Tablet, Even When It Shouldn't
Google is bringing a new desktop mode to Android 16 later this year. However, the way desktop mode works will not be the same across all types of Android devices.
On Pixel phones, desktop mode will only become active when the device is connected to an external screen. Users will be able to use a desktop-like experience on a monitor, but the phone's own screen will not support windowed multitasking or the full desktop interface, even though the phone itself would be fully functional on its own, as a separate entity.
Tablets, on the other hand, will be able to use desktop mode directly on their built-in screens, whether or not an external display is connected, which makes sense.
But then it gets weird. Foldable devices, despite having expansive inner screens, will not be treated the same way as tablets. Google has confirmed that foldables like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will only be able to use windowed multitasking when connected to an external display, as reported by Android Police. This means the desktop mode will not be available on the folding screen itself, as it has a large enough screen on the inside.
The desktop mode will be released with the all-new Material 3 Expressive in the next quarterly update, which is likely to be in September. Android 16 was released yesterday.
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