Android 11 is still making its way to most flagship Google-powered devices beyond the Pixel realm, but plans for Android 12 are well underway with an expected reveal coming soon.
Little is known about how Google will further the operating system in 2021, but one of the first features looks as if it’ll be a split screen mode called App Pairs.
According to a 9to5Google report, the feature will be a “full revamp of the split screen system,” which will enable users to connect related apps as split screen pairs. The feature will enable users to group two apps together as a “task” according to the information in the report.
From there it’ll be possible to switch to a single app and then back to the pair you’d created. The system could be handy, for example, if users are sending an email consulting information from Google Search.
Those users could then switch to consult Google Maps for further information, before switching back to the pair to complete the task. The divider between the two apps will enable users to adjust how much of the display each app is afforded.
If this sounds in any way familiar, it’s because Google already offers a plot screen mode for Android 11 that enables two apps to be open at the same time, but this would take things to the next level.
The feature is also quite similar to what we’ve seen on the Galaxy Note range for a long time now, which was par of the company’s custom UI, rather than the Android operating system itself. Samsung also calls the feature App Pairs.
We’re expecting the first developer previews of Android 12 to drop within the next couple of months, so it’s possible we’ll see the feature in action for the first time in the initial screenshots.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
