- Google and Samsung are collaborating to create a DeX-like desktop mode built into Android 16.
- The feature will transform mobile phones into full-fledged computers by connecting them to external displays.
- The feature may not be available since the first version of Android 16, awaiting improvements and further polish.
- Desktop mode will allow multitasking with resizable windows and app management similar to a PC.
Android is preparing to make the final leap to the desktop. And that is because Google will finally introduce a native desktop mode, inspired by Samsung DeX., which will allow you to use your mobile phone as if it were a PC by connecting it to a monitor.
The result of this cooperation will be a desktop mode that, after being tested in beta versions, aims to arrive with the next version of the operating system: Android 16However, it seems this first version might not include a fully polished version, and Android 17 would be where the most refined experience would be seen. Let me tell you.
A step forward: Android 16 and the new desktop mode
On Google I/O 2025, the company confirmed that it has been working with Samsung to bring the ability to use Android Resizable windows, multitasking, and PC-like navigation when connecting your phone to an external display with USB-C. This feature relies on elements already present in Samsung DeX, but aims to become a standard feature of the system.
Desktop mode It will transform the Android interface when the phone is connected to a monitor or TV., allowing you to open multiple apps at once, move and resize windows, and use traditional desktop gestures and shortcuts. Google also emphasizes that support for different screen sizes and types will be essential, both on foldable phones and on tablets and multi-mode devices.
Although Samsung and Motorola have been offering similar features for some time now.The key now is for this functionality to arrive as a standard feature of the operating system, accessible to all manufacturers and users without custom layers or external solutions.
Android 16's new desktop mode is still in beta.
For now, what we have seen in the beta phase is that The new feature still needs fine-tuningEspecially in the visual and user experience aspects, where Google aims to offer a seamless transition between mobile and desktop modes when connecting the device to an external display, prioritizing productivity and multitasking.
There's no doubt that this integration will enhance the usability of Android devices, transforming the user experience in work and productivity contexts, facilitating a seamless transition between mobile and desktop functions. But even It remains to be seen whether Google can achieve what Samsung could not quite achieve.: Turning Android into a functional, stable… and universal desktop operating system.
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