Mouse cursor transitions wikl enables users to move the cursor when interacting across displays.
Pixel 9 and other Google handsets are likely to be the first to receive Android 16
Photo Credit: Google
Android 16 is said to be in development as the next iteration of Google's operating system (OS) for smartphones. Ahead of its anticipated rollout which is expected to happen in the summer, a new report suggests that the Android 16 update might add new tools for external display management. It is speculated to give users the ability to rearrange external screens while also making it easier to switch between mirroring the screen on the display or simply extending it.
This information comes from Android Authority. In a report, the publication's Mishaal Rahman highlighted Google's testing of the new external display management tools in Android 16 which potentially bring the experience closer to other desktop operating systems. The report suggests Google is adding mouse cursor transitions, which as the name suggests, enables users to move the cursor when interacting across displays.
Further, the tech giant could also reportedly introduce a dedicated toggle for switching between mirroring the in-built screen or extending it. This is said to enhance convenience, eliminating the need for tweaking the phone's developer settings and then reconnecting it to change the display mode. For the aforementioned features to work, the publication connected a Google Pixel 8 Pro to the NexDock XL and delved into the Android's External Display settings on the phone.
The report suggests that Google might also be developing a way to control the refresh rate of the external display. It may also include options to resize a window to match the screen's boundary and adjust the text and icon size separately on the external display.
While these features aren't live yet, the publication managed to activate them in Android 16 Beta 2.1 update which was released last month. Among the aforementioned additions, the update brought fixes for crucial issues which impacted the device performance, including connectivity, system stability, and performance. Meanwhile, the company is speculated to release Android 16's stable version to eligible Google Pixel smartphones in June 2025, as per a company official.
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