For as long as Android phones have existed, people have dreamed of using them as the brains inside a desktop computing setup. Samsung accomplished this nearly a decade ago, but the rest of the Android ...

Most of the Android launchers I've ever heard about or tested are designed for function. Microsoft Launcher is great for ...

Google is developing a DeX-like desktop mode for Android phones, and you can try it out now on supported Pixel devices with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2. This feature projects a desktop-like environment ...

It's not even close ...

Google has been working on bringing desktop-like freeform windows to Android since the days of Android Nougat. The feature dwindled for a while and was recently revived, likely because of Google’s aim ...

Back at Google I/O, Google announced that it was indeed making a desktop mode or desktop windowing feature for Android 16 that would allow you to connect a phone to a display and get a desktop-like ...

Taylor worked with AP from 2018 to 2025, most recently as Google Editor. We're expecting to hear a good deal more about Android 15 at Google's next Pixel event on August 13. It seems like a relatively ...

Why it matters: Samsung customers have long used DeX to run their phones in desktop mode. Google is reportedly developing a similar feature for the Pixel line, which may debut with Android 16 or 17.

Imagine that — being able to freely rearrange and resize the apps on your screen. Imagine that — being able to freely rearrange and resize the apps on your screen. is a news writer who covers the ...

Tablets have large screens, making multitasking easier. However, Android has lacked proper support for running apps in resizable windows. Until recently, only manufacturer customizations allowed this ...