Android 15 DP2 helps you to deliver again the outdated taskbar in your Pixel Pill or Pixel Fold

Again in early 2022, Google introduced Android 12L, the primary model of Android devoted to large-screen units (like tablets) since 2012’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb. One of many key options of Android 12L was the taskbar, a dock that resides on the backside of the display screen and gives fast entry to your apps. With the taskbar, customers can shortly launch a brand new app from any display screen and even enter a split-screen view. The taskbar is a staple characteristic of desktop working programs, so its inclusion in Android 12L was a no brainer given Google’s renewed deal with productiveness.

The unique model of Android’s taskbar, nevertheless, stretched the complete width of the display screen and was persistent, which means it was all the time there. Whereas customers might quickly stash the unique taskbar by long-pressing on an empty space, its design total was limiting. The truth that it was all the time seen wasn’t that helpful for anybody however hardcore multitaskers. Plus, it took up loads of display screen actual property, hindering productiveness on smaller units, like book-style foldable telephones.

That’s why when Google launched Android 13 QPR2 final 12 months, it revamped how the taskbar appears to be like and behaves. As an alternative of a persistent bar that stretches the width of the display screen, the brand new taskbar was enclosed by a small, pill-shaped field on the backside that might solely seem for a number of seconds after the consumer swiped up on the gesture bar. This new taskbar expertise debuted on final 12 months’s Pixel Pill and Pixel Fold and trickled all the way down to units from different OEMs with the Android 14 launch.

Though the brand new “transient” taskbar is extra appropriate for the typical consumer, it’s much less helpful for individuals who wish to multitask. Each time you wish to open a brand new app, you should swipe up on the taskbar to disclose it earlier than you may entry your app record. Google might resolve this drawback by including a method to pin the taskbar to the underside in order that it doesn’t disappear after a number of seconds, and that’s precisely what it’s added within the newest developer preview for Android 15.

Welcome again the persistent taskbar to Android 15

Beginning in Android 15 DP2, Google provides customers the choice of whether or not they wish to use the outdated, persistent taskbar or the brand new, transient taskbar. If you swipe up on the taskbar and lengthy press on an empty spot, a pop-up will seem with a toggle to “all the time present taskbar.” Deciding on this feature will revert the taskbar again to the outdated persistent fashion, whereas deselecting it would re-enable the newer, transient fashion. This toggle brings one of the best of each taskbars to customers: Merely allow it if it is advisable do any work that includes switching between apps or multitasking and disable it if you don’t.

We’re hoping that with the addition of this feature, different producers of tablets and book-style foldables observe swimsuit. At present, some OEMs like OnePlus solely provide the outdated, persistent taskbar fashion. Nevertheless, if it have been to undertake this characteristic, then it might provide the outdated and new kinds to customers. Which taskbar fashion do you like?