Google and Samsung are collaborating extensively these days, from their specialized Wear OS developments to Android XR headsets. The two companies are eager to team up for both new innovations and enhancements of existing technologies. At Google I/O, they announced an exciting new project: Android desktop modes.
Recently, we’ve discussed how Android 16 will feature a desktop mode, enabling Pixel users to connect their phones to an external monitor for a desktop-like Android experience. After some silence on the matter, Google confirmed during the Developer Keynote at I/O that this feature would indeed launch with Android 16.
During the presentation, they highlighted the necessity for adaptive apps to cater to various screen sizes and briefly mentioned the desktop mode in Android 16. Notably, they revealed that they are building on Samsung’s DeX as a foundational element for this feature, which was an unexpected twist.
For example, we’ve been collaborating with Samsung, leveraging the foundation of Samsung DeX to enhance desktop windowing capabilities in Android 16 for improved productivity workflows.
In a developer post that same day, they provided further insights on creating adaptive apps and reiterated the advancements in desktop windowing for Android 16:
Android 16 introduces significant enhancements in desktop windowing, delivering a true desktop-like experience on larger screens and with external displays.
While details on the desktop mode in Android 16 are still limited, we know it is set to launch alongside Android 16, developed in partnership with Samsung. Given that we haven’t seen much about this feature in the upcoming Android 16 release planned for June, it raises the question of whether it will be included in the QPR1 release later this year or possibly pushed to the QPR2 in December.
Are people utilizing Samsung DeX? Are you excited about the prospect of an Android desktop mode?