Did you know that Android OS has had a desktop mode similar to Samsung Dex for the past five years? It’s true. The mode first appeared in 2019 on Android 10. It allowed you to connect your smartphone to a monitor, mouse and keyboard, turning it into a mini-desktop computer. No one can blame you for not even knowing it existed. It is primarily intended for developers to use as a testing ground for their applications. It was as barebones as a system can be. However, recent evidence suggests that Google is expanding the feature to make it more user-friendly.
News site Android Authority dived into the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 update and with some technical knowledge and experience activated the desktop mode “to see how… the system evolved.” As it turns out, he’s improved quite a bit since 2019.
Their demo video shows that windows can now be dragged and resized on screen. Resizing causes the page to become blank except for the app logo in the middle.
Moving the window to either side causes it to snap into place. They then opened another app, clicking a spot on the other side that allowed them to have two pages side by side, similar to Windows 11. Grabbing a page full screen by dragging the top handle causes it to shrink, allowing users to make quick adjustments.
At the top of each full screen view is a small menu. Android Authority states that it “contains the app’s name, an icon, and three buttons to toggle between full-screen, split-screen, and freeform. That last option allows you to drag the window around. While the app is freeform, apps get a URL bar, a drop-down menu to change viewing modes, plus zoom and close buttons.
Basic, but important
These may seem like basic functions that come with all web browsers. Well, that’s because they are. Earlier when we said that desktop mode is as barebones as a system can be, we meant it. The thing to keep in mind is that this update marks a continuous effort to improve this feature. We could see where Android smartphones could be turned into capable computers that are more portable than laptops. Technically, they already are, but they lack the necessary support.
There is still a lot of work, as the publication points out. Most apps, for example, “do not support drag and drop”. A few keyboard shortcuts are apparently present, but the report doesn’t go into detail.
There is no information on when the revamped mode will launch. Given that it’s part of the late beta, we might see the feature arrive on Android 15 which should be out sometime between August and October.
Take this information with a grain of salt. After all, Google could suddenly change its mind and kill the project. Something similar happened recently with the WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android) app on Windows 11. It gives users a way to natively run Android software on the Windows operating system, however, starting March 5, 2025, support will be discontinued.
While we have you, be sure to check out TechRadar’s roundup of the best Android phones for 2024.