Android 15 DP2 brings again the pinnable taskbar on tablets and foldables

Abstract

• Android 15 DP2 affords a Taskbar toggle for pill and foldable customers to modify between persistent and floating modes.
• This function has been within the works since final 12 months and was initially anticipated to debut with Android 14 secure final fall.
• Individually, Android 15 DP2 additionally features a foldable-specific change, because of some inspiration from the OnePlus Open.

Android 15 DP2 is formally out, giving us an early glimpse into Android 15 forward of its secure launch this fall. On high of the minor adjustments bundled with the brand new replace, akin to satellite tv for pc connectivity enhancements, Google may additionally present a greater person expertise for pill and foldable smartphone customers by enhancing the Taskbar expertise.

Android professional Mishaal Rahman (by way of Android Authority) discovered that Android 15 DP2 has an choice to both make the taskbar persistent, i.e., proceed to look, or make it solely quickly out there in a floating pill-shaped field on the backside of the display screen.

For some background, Google debuted the persistent taskbar with Android 12L for large-screen gadgets, but it surely was changed by the aforementioned non permanent floating bar with Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 and made the default with Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 final 12 months.

Then with Android 14 Beta 3 final 12 months, Google supplied a toggle to modify between the non permanent and protracted taskbar experiences. This led us to consider on the time that the function would seem when Android 14 went secure, however that did not occur. As an alternative, it seems to be like Android 15 often is the model that lastly offers pill and foldable homeowners the choice to modify between both model of the taskbar.

The At all times present Taskbar toggle in Android 14 Beta 3 (left); The up to date model in Android 15 DP2 (proper)

When broadly out there, the toggle will pop up when lengthy urgent an empty space within the taskbar, as proven above. Evaluating final 12 months’s implementation and the brand new model of this toggle highlights the absence of the Change navigation mode choice present in Android 14 Beta 3. However since we’re nonetheless within the nascent section of Android 15, it is exhausting to inform if it is gone for good.

Along with this taskbar pinning performance for large-screen gadgets, Google can also be including some new performance for the Pixel Fold, significantly the addition of a brand new Swipe as much as proceed setting that offers customers higher management over which apps ought to shift over to the outer display screen (when folded). You’ll be able to see how this works on Google’s foldable within the video above. This can be a function proper out of OnePlus’ bag of tips, with the OnePlus Open providing the same resolution since final 12 months.