Published on 04/05/2024 at 22:30
Android users will soon be able to enjoy a PC-like experience on their phones. Google, which owns the operating system, may launch a tool this year to turn a smartphone into a type of laptop when connected to a screen and mouse.
This feature is called desktop mode, and it already exists for users of beta versions of the Android operating system, with the aim of helping developers test tools and applications in a more simple way. Now, according to the specialized site Android Authority, the desktop mode is undergoing changes to make it available to a wider audience.
This feature works when the user connects the cell phone to equipment such as monitor, keyboard, and mouse. When unlocked, the cell phone reproduces a different display than usual, with menus in the lower bar of the screen and file folders at the top. Also in the right corner, the taskbar displays battery percentage, Internet access, and media usage such as audio and video.
Some versions appearing on the website show that website windows opened in desktop mode have new positioning and action buttons – to resize and allow the window to be dragged freely on the screen.
Although it seems like a simple skill for the system, Google needed to work on the interoperability of the system between a mode for mobile phones and another for larger screens. This is because in operating systems aimed at computers, such as Apple's Windows or MacOS, this software is specifically designed for ad hoc use, an area in which Google does not develop the resources to be a direct competitor to the service.
Another update will be the way desktop mode opens apps. Due to the split-screen ability, introduced with Android 7, the widget can be expanded to provide an expanded view on the screen in a similar way to Windows. Motorola launched a similar tool in 2021, called “Ready For.”
All of these changes could appear in Android 15, a new operating system that Google is supposed to announce at its developer event, Google I/O, which will be held in May.
However, the company has not confirmed whether it will make the tool available to the general public or whether the changes may arrive in Android 15.
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