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Android 16 is here

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Re: Android 16 is here

#241

Post by nikanj »

edg5000 wrote: post #212

"Samsung DeX has helped maximize productivity on phones, foldables and tablets for years. In Android 16, we worked closely with Samsung to develop desktop windowing, a new way to interact with your apps and content on large-screen devices." PS Let me make a guess for the future. Android Desktop mode will improve and people will ditch Windows and instead plug their phone into a USB-C dock that connects it to keyboard,…

My guess for the future is that no app maker dares to put efforts into Android Desktop mode because they worry Google will leave them high and dry, and in two-three releases the desktop mode will be abandoned because it has no app support

Re: Android 16 is here

#242

Post by izacus »

Izkata wrote: post #170
kllrnohj wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And my android phone still has "back", "home", and "recents" buttons in the exact same place they've been since they were literal hardware buttons. Core navigation (aka, "steering") is unchanged, no new drivers license required

Originally there was a 4th button, "menu". Android had a standard grid-shaped menu that apps could implement, that would pop up from the bottom of the screen. Also "recents" wasn't its own button, it was reached by long-pressing "home". The other button was "search".

This hasn't been the case for literally decade though.

Re: Android 16 is here

#243

Post by nashashmi »

SchemaLoad wrote: post #186
bandoti wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find as time goes on I am less-and-less excited about mobile releases. I’ve had a smartphone since the Google Nexus 1. The desktop experience is always better, and a good book is even more inviting. Curious what other folks are feeling. A lot of these tools seem like useless frivolity. Meanwhile, I have family who constantly get confused whether the iOS phone icon is FaceTime or the “real” phone; and I have to do m…

The old mobile OSs used to be hilariously lacking so every update was genuinely game changing. I remember getting really excited when Android Ice Cream Sandwich was adding screenshot functionality to tablets. And hearing people talk about folders getting added to iOS. Now all the low hanging fruit is gone they are less exciting. The photogrammetry api stuff added to iOS probably took 100x the dev effort of adding fol…

The remaining low hanging fruits seem to be in porting to desktop docks.

Re: Android 16 is here

#244

Post by rickdeckard »

bitwize wrote: post #108
paxys wrote: post #23

I like their Material Expressive design a lot more now after Apple's big reveal. While it's still a bit too colorful and whimsical for my liking, it does stay much closer to what I think should be the top UX design ideal - be clear, legible, and get out of the way . On the new iOS every screen feels like some UX designer is shouting "look how amazing I am at this!!" at me.

Indeed, but Apple still wins when it comes to "wow factor". In a year's time Android will look old and busted, and Google will have to respond with a similar UI refresh. Of course it won't be as pretty, responsive, or slick but it will keep Android in the running. Turns out "pretty" matters -- a lot -- in UI. Sucks for those of us who found Windows 9x, NEXTSTEP, or AmigaOS as the pinnacle of usability, but users find…

The great thing about Material Design is that it lays a solid foundation to put such gaudy elements on top, because if the design-language is properly followed it can also be globally adjusted.

So expect Android Device Vendors to expand their theme engines to support more excessive GUI eyecandy than even before, "liquid glass" will be the minimum

The odd thing about this journey is, that once you're used to the simplicity of Material Design, adding such liquid/glass/leather/concrete/... elements to the rendering just degrades readability.

My guess is that Apple now cranked up the eyecandy again for everyone to follow, to then tone it down in the coming years, again appearing more "mature" than others. And in the end we will settle on something close to Material Design again, with more z-axis separation (more shadows, floating,...) and liquid state-transitions (changing elements affecting other nearby elements)

But hey, it's everyone's individual journey.

Re: Android 16 is here

#245

Post by anticrymactic »

visarga wrote: post #202
nipperkinfeet wrote: post #171

The release of Apple's new glass design has made Material Expressive appear aesthetically pleasing. Apple has declined so much, it's unfortunate.

Maybe Apple thought they need to make a desperate move to deflect from their lack of AI?

Call me old, but I don't think users want AI. Apple summary's turned out barely helpful and that was the big, simple and easy AI application. Instead of a working voice assistant, what uses does AI (LLM) have on a smartphone?

Re: Android 16 is here

#246

Post by NiekvdMaas »

villedespommes wrote: post #41

I'm really excited about the Desktop mode, now I can finally break free of Samsung!

It's not part of the stable release yet, but the beta version that was released today has an option to enable this: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/06/developer-...

I tried it and it works great - Dex-like experience with mouse and keyboard, on a stock Pixel phone.

Re: Android 16 is here

#247

Post by throwanem »

strix_varius wrote: post #217
spankibalt wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A lot of these tools seem like useless frivolity. That's me on a good day; I fuckin' hate smartphones (hardware and software-wise), lol. I have pretty much given up on a slab-style pocket computer (6-7 inch, essentially a deshittified, Samsung XCover-series smartphone on steroids, e. g. S-Pen, exchangeable batteries, audio jack, 1-2 USB-C ports, mSD card slot, lotsa memory, phone-functionality is second fiddle) or…

So there are at least two of us! I'd be truly excited and willing to pay laptop-tier prices for either: 1) a bare (ala Pixel) foldable with S-pen and without large external displays to get cracked and complicate things 2) a rooted linux-computer-in-your-pocket that can be plugged into a usb-c hub and happens to have a SIM card/cell modem to work as a phone. ...but until then I just get by for years and years on whate…

For #2, I wonder if you're aware of Planet Computers: https://store.planetcom.co.uk/collections/devices/products/c...

Re: Android 16 is here

#248

Post by rickdeckard »

edg5000 wrote: post #212

"Samsung DeX has helped maximize productivity on phones, foldables and tablets for years. In Android 16, we worked closely with Samsung to develop desktop windowing, a new way to interact with your apps and content on large-screen devices." PS Let me make a guess for the future. Android Desktop mode will improve and people will ditch Windows and instead plug their phone into a USB-C dock that connects it to keyboard,…

> What does "working closely" mean for a company with infinite SW dev resources? What do they need from Samsung as far as software goes?

Samsung already learned lessons from that journey, Google did not.

Also, the Android strategy is to not compete with Android vendors on OS features, they rather collaborate to make them contribute improvements back to the OS.

This strategy makes the project faster, cheaper, reduces fragmentation, removes a competitor (!), and most of all reduces brand-stickiness within the Android ecosystem (--> if Samsung DeX gets merged into Android, Samsung users can switch brands easier).

Re: Android 16 is here

#249

Post by fsflover »

izacus wrote: post #141
fsflover wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you can't. There's no usable desktop software that you can run there. Artificial restrictions will stay, although might be slightly relaxed. In contrast with Librem 5 running GNU/Linux (my daily driver) this is already a reality.

This is just weird goal post moving.

Why do you need mobile, touch-friendly apps on a large screen (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44241666)? How are you using them?

Re: Android 16 is here

#250

Post by sambf »

smusamashah wrote: post #132

Not available for Pixel/XL, Pixel 2/XL, Pixel 3/XL, Pixel 3a/XL, Pixel 4/XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, or Pixel 5a. I have Pixel 4a and I wanted to get Android 16 to get the smaller notification tile buttons back.

Is the 4a still supported with security updates? What OS are you running? GrapheneOS stopped support so I scored a cheap 8a but I really dislike it. Had to boot my 4a again for some reason the other day and I realized I really missed it, it's so small and lightweight compared to the 8a.
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