Android 16 tipped for huge multitasking upgrade that beats the iPhone

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Turn any app into a bubble for easily jumping into other apps

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When Android 16 arrives next year — possibly sooner than its usual fall release — it could bring an interesting new way of multitasking. At least, that's what some recently discovered code seems to suggest.

In a recent code dive, Android Authority's Mishaal Rahman spotted an interesting multitasking upgrade that may be part of the Android 16 update, involving a change to the bubbles API that was originally launched with Android 11 in 2020. The bubbles API lets you put messaging apps into a floating window that sits over on top of other apps so you can quickly respond to chats. Minimizing the chat app window turns it into a bubble icon that can reappear when you need it.

As of the current version of Android, the bubble tool only works for chat apps and not every conversation app supports the feature. As Rahman notes, the "UI that launches within the bubble is just a regular Android activity." In theory, then, nearly any Android app should work if it was bubbled — potentially giving you a way to quickly switch apps when multitasking.

As it's currently constituted in the beta, once the Bubble Anything tool is activated, the Pixel Launcher adds a bubble button to the context menu. The context menu would pop up whenever you press and hold an app icon in the home screen. Tapping the Bubble option in the menu opens the app in a bubble with the floating window. 

As a reminder, these kinds of code dives can give us an idea of what Google is working on for the Android operating system. It doesn't guarantee a found feature will become live or that the feature won't see significant changes if it does launch. 

Though Android 16 won't appear until 2025, we're already hearing a lot of rumors about Google's plans for the update. Rahman previously found potential changes to the way Android users interact with notification and the Quick Settings screens.

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Scott Younker
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.