The days when smartphones were small and cramped were over, and multitasking on them was a distant dream. With the adoption of larger screens and more flexible software, smartphones are making it easier than ever before to do more simultaneously. With split screen, an original Android feature, you can already work with two apps at the same time. Now Google is apparently working on a way to make it easier to multitask, with a new App Pairs feature to launch two apps simultaneously.
Split screen multitasking on Android 11 (left); App Pairs model on Android 12 (right)
As seen in the image above, an app pair will act as a single app, and users will also be able to switch to another app or app pair – it is currently not possible to switch to another app without breaking the existing split-screen setup. The distributor also adds new features and should be able to swap app positions through a quick double tap.
If this feature rings, it’s because some smartphone makers have already implemented something similar. Samsung, for example, launched its own version in 2017 on the Galaxy Note8. Microsoft’s first Android phone, the Surface Duo, also has a similar feature that allows users to open different apps on its two screens at once.
Google may be a little late for the party, but we’re still glad it’s appearing.
