Google May Introduce New Samsung DeX-Style Desktop Experience for Phones with Android 16

When in desktop mode, users may be able to launch multiple apps in floating windows simultaneously.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 5 May 2025 13:10 IST

Google May Introduce New Samsung DeX-Style Desktop Experience for Phones with Android 16

The feature was discovered in the latest Android 16 Beta 4 update running on the Pixel 8 Pro

Highlights

A developer option in Android 16 is reported to the desktop experience
It may bring a taskbar which shows apps like Phone, Chrome, and Messages
Users can drag and drop content across apps in desktop mode

Google is said to be developing a new desktop experience for its Android phones. As per a new report, the latest Android 16 beta update adds a new developer option, dubbed “Enable desktop experience features”, that brings the familiar Android taskbar, the three-button navigation access, and other options when a Pixel running the aforementioned beta is connected to a laptop. The company is speculated to be working on a more desktop-oriented experience for its phones and tablets in a bid to keep up with competitors such as Samsung, which offers DeX — short for “Desktop eXperience”.

Desktop Experience with Android 16

According to an Android Authority report, the new addition was discovered in the developer options of the latest Android 16 Beta 4 update running on the Google Pixel 8 Pro. It is stated to “enable desktop windowing on secondary displays”. Although the functionality isn't officially available, the publication managed to activate it. Once the Pixel device is connected to an external display such as a laptop, the Android taskbar, status bar, and the three-button navigation menu appears.

Photo Credit: Mishaal Rahman/ Android Authority

The taskbar carries pinned apps, such as Phone, Messages, Camera, Google Chrome, along with the app drawer. When in desktop mode, it can also display recent apps, potentially delivering improved multitasking capabilities.

The new functionality makes it possible to launch several apps in floating windows at once, as per the report. And similar to the Windows experience, users may also be able to move them around, resize them, or align them to the side. Further, it also allows for easy transfer of content using drag and drop.

As per the report, the new desktop experience in Android 16 could be a modified version of the desktop windowing feature which was introduced for the Pixel tablet with the release of Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 in September last year. While this specific feature only supported built-in displays, Google may have tweaked it to support phones connected to external screens too, the report speculates.

Google Pixel 8 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Premium design, IP68 rating
Fun AI-infused software experience
Good quality cameras
Quality video recording
Impressive image editing software
Long-term commitment to software updates

Bad
Gets warm under load
Buggy camera app
Not made for gaming
Average battery life
Relatively slow wired charging

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 Pro review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 64-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 5050mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1344x2992 pixels

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Further reading: Android 16 Beta 4, Android 16, Google Pixel, Samsung DeX, Google

Shaurya Tomer

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Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More