Samsung’s pop-up view is what Android’s app bubbles ought to have been

One of the largest talking points around Android 17 was app bubbles. Pixel customers lastly obtained the choice to show any app right into a floating window and multitask on the fly. I attempted it on a Pixel 10a not too long ago, and… it didn’t really feel all that particular. That’s in all probability as a result of I’ve been spoiled by Samsung’s pop-up view for years now. And after really utilizing app bubbles, it simply seems like Google missed a chance right here.

Android’s app bubbles have a significant downside

This isn’t true multitasking

Android phones have always been good for multitasking with options like split-screen and picture-in-picture. With Android 17, although, Google now permits you to open any app right into a floating bubble. Yes, that is one thing you can already do earlier than, however just for chats in apps like Google Messages and Facebook Messenger.

Now, you may lengthy press any app icon and select “Bubble” to open it as a floating bubble. The bubble floats on high of no matter you’re doing, and you’ll increase it right into a window. If you’ve used chat bubbles earlier than, this works precisely like that. Android even permits you to stack a number of apps within the bubble view, so you may swap between them rapidly with out opening the Recents menu.

All of that sounds nice, however my greatest criticism with app bubbles is that they aren’t resizable. By default, an app bubble covers all the display, which suggests you’re nonetheless utilizing one app at a time. Sure, it makes switching between multiple apps quicker, however bubbles don’t allow you to use two apps without delay like split-screen does.

I additionally don’t like how closing an app bubble kills the app totally. That means if you wish to swap from the bubble view to common mode, you don’t have any choice however to shut the app first. This clearly kills no matter you’re doing contained in the app and forces you to begin over.

App bubbles work barely higher on foldables and tablets. There, you get a devoted bubble bar that permits you to open apps as bubbles with a faucet. On an even bigger display, Android permits you to see the primary app on one aspect and the bubble on the opposite, which seems like cut up display mode, besides right here you may swap between 5 completely different apps in bubbles. Even then, although, you continue to can’t resize the bubbles, and shutting one shuts down the app totally.

Samsung’s pop-up view will get multitasking proper

One UI already cracked it years in the past

Android’s app bubbles are good, however Samsung has offered something similar for years. It’s referred to as “Pop-up view,” and it mainly permits you to open apps in a window mode, very similar to you’d on a PC.

On your Galaxy telephone, open the Recents display, faucet the app icon, and select Open in pop-up view. If the app is already open, you may even swipe from the highest nook in the direction of the center of the display to change to the pop-up view. My favourite approach, although, is dragging an app from the Edge Panel to the middle, which robotically opens it in a floating window.

Once the app is floating, you may transfer it anyplace on the display and even resize it freely. The title bar on the high reveals choices to attenuate, maximize, and shut the window. You can even conceal the title bar and snap the app into cut up display mode from right here.

The large win right here is you could see a number of app home windows without delay, which makes it extra helpful than app bubbles and even cut up display actually. You can swap from window to full display at any time, and if you decrease it, it seems as a floating icon, very similar to an app bubble. You can shut the bubble by dragging it to the underside, and sure, that doesn’t kill the app.

If you have got a foldable or a pill, this will get even higher. One UI permits you to confide in 5 apps in window mode, plus no matter app that’s already within the background. That means you need to use as much as six completely different apps without delay. You in all probability gained’t want that many without delay, however you may nonetheless go away them open and swap between them with out going again to the Recents display.

The level is, Samsung’s windowed mode provides you far more flexibility than Android 17’s app bubbles. And that is one thing One UI has supplied for years.

App bubbles could also be Pixel-exclusive, however I do not miss them

Google has stored Android 17’s app bubbles unique to Pixel telephones for now. But as you may in all probability inform by now, I don’t miss them one bit on my Galaxy S26.

And I feel the identical goes for non-Galaxy customers, too. Motorola, Asus, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo have all supplied their very own variations of pop-up view for years. So whereas Google’s app bubbles are a pleasant addition, it is not one thing anybody will remorse lacking out on.