At the I/O 2025 developer conference, Google unveiled plans for a new desktop experience tailored for Android devices. This initiative involves a partnership with Samsung to enhance the desktop windowing capabilities established by Samsung DeX, aiming to extend this functionality beyond smartphones and tablets to various device categories. The goal is to create a more desktop-centric environment when these devices are linked to external displays.
Desktop Experience in Android 16
During the keynote presentation, Google discussed its efforts to refine desktop windowing in Android 16 in collaboration with Samsung, focusing on delivering enhanced productivity workflows. Further insights into these developments were shared in a subsequent blog post by Android Developers.
The tech giant from Mountain View highlighted that Android 16 is set to feature significant improvements in desktop windowing aimed at providing users with a “true” desktop-like experience. These new functionalities will activate when devices are connected to external screens, potentially through USB connections.
To support this initiative, Google is leveraging Adaptive Android development as a core strategy. This approach is designed to ensure that applications function effectively across a wide array of device types. By emphasizing code reuse and scalability, the aim is to facilitate the adaptation of applications to various screen sizes with minimal adjustments. This strategy encompasses over 500 million active devices beyond smartphones, including foldables, tablets, Chromebooks, and infotainment systems in vehicles.
These developments follow previous reports indicating Google’s ongoing work to enhance the desktop user experience. The upcoming desktop setup is expected to allow users to leverage larger displays when their device, particularly a Pixel, is connected to an external monitor via a USB Type-C cable.
In the Android 16 Beta 4, a discovered feature enabling “desktop windowing on secondary displays” introduces an Android taskbar, status bar, and three-button navigation menu upon connection. The taskbar will include pinned applications like Phone, Messages, Camera, and Google Chrome, along with an app drawer. It is also expected to showcase recent apps, enhancing multitasking capabilities for users.
