The second Android 16 Developer Preview is here, and hidden in the code, are indications that users could get a lot more options when it comes to viewing apps.
The initial report comes from Android Authority which picked up that the developer preview hints at a major upgrade coming to split-screen mode. According to the report, Android 16 could implement a multitasking system that appears heavily inspired by the Open Canvas feature on the OnePlus Open. This would be a pretty big improvement for Google devices, as Open Canvas has been praised as one of the best approaches to split-screen multitasking we’ve yet seen on a foldable.
Unfortunately for Android devices, Open Canvas is a proprietary feature meaning it’s locked to OnePlus devices. However, code found in the Android 16 DP2 mentions an in-development “flexible” split-screen mode. Android Authority’s Mishal Rahman managed to get the feature to work on his Pixel device, although he notes it’s far from ready and wouldn’t split the apps just yet.
Originally debuted on the OnePlus Open, which is our current pick for the best foldable phone, Open Canvas lets you run up to three apps side-by-side. When doing so, two apps take up the majority of the screen, while the third takes up a much smaller area to the right side of the screen. When you want to expand the third app you only have to tap it, which then shifts the apps, meaning the leftmost app takes up the smaller area.
However, while Google might be working to implement the feature, OnePlus is more focused on its next generation of foldable phones: the rumored OnePlus Open 2. We’ve seen a fair few leaks in recent months, including that it might be the thinnest foldable so far. Meanwhile, possible renders and specs have given us an idea of the phone’s look and hardware. While we don’t know what software changes will be released with the device, there’s no doubt that OnePlus will build on the solid foundation it has built.
We’re still a while away from Android 16 being fully released, as such we don’t have all the details about what the update will include. However, we have heard about some possible features, including a key navigation change that should make traversing the software that bit easier.
As ever, more details are sure to emerge as we get closer to Google I/O and we’ll be keeping an ear out for the latest news and rumors.
