The Google Pixel Fold picks up some new tricks with Android 15, with the second developer preview adding the option to continue running apps on the external screen when the device is closed.
In Android 15 DP2, Google has already made one big screen improvement in bringing back the persistent taskbar at the bottom of the screen. In addition, the company is also adding several improvements specific to foldable devices.
One of them is one we won’t see for a while, as Android 15 will allow apps to tell the OS if they can run on an external “flippable” screen.
The second is present on the Pixel Fold with Android 15 DP2. Google has added an option that allows apps to continue running on the external screen when the device is closed. This is not the default behavior, but the new settings menu allows users to choose between “never” opening apps on the external screen – the current behavior -, “always” keeping the app on the external screen, or requiring a swipe up to keep the app running. The new settings were noticed by an Android police the tipster who installed the update.
The same function exists on the OnePlus Open, and was also present on past Oppo foldable devices.
While this won’t be useful for everyone, it’s great that Google is adding the option. Right now it looks like it will only be in Android 15 as it hasn’t appeared in the Android 14 betas yet. That said, with the Pixel Fold 2 on the way, it seems reasonable that future Android 14 updates could provide the functionality, and Google has briefly supported a similar version of this at QPR1.
More on Android 15:
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