Android users have long enjoyed the split apps feature on their devices, which allows them to view and use two apps at the same time, a feature currently unavailable on the iPhone. Interestingly, it looks like there are plans to expand this feature to Android to host three apps at once. The official Android 16 update is likely to include the advanced split screen feature along with a lot new functionalitywhich is planned to be released in the second quarter of 2025. While the exact release date remains unknown, Google has offered a glimpse of what to expect in two previous developer builds. The second Developer Preview (DP2) hints at a major update to the design of split-screen mode, which will likely change the way users switch between apps.
Android analyst Mishal Rahman offered insight into the upcoming mobile operating system. He explained that the multitasking feature is likely modeled after the OnePlus Open Canvas multitasking model. In this setup, two apps will take up 90% of the screen and the third will take up 10%. Users can zoom in a third with one touch. All three program positions are flexible and can be replaced according to the user’s preferences.
However, due to the legal and copyright protection of the multitasking design of Open Canvas, Google Android 16’s split-screen design is unlikely to replicate it exactly. DP2 contains code for flexible split-screen mode, although this code is not yet complete. However, the code shows three different positions where apps can be dropped, indicating that Google plans to introduce a three-way split-screen design.
Mishal projects which many Android users may not find this design particularly interesting, especially those who are already used to Windows desktop support, which provides more flexibility when handling more than three applications at the same time. Regardless, as seen with the DP2, the split-screen multitasking mode on offer offers a seamless user experience that many will find useful. Mobile users who enjoy multitasking are likely to look forward to this feature, and even iPhone lovers may wish to have this multitasking option on iOS.