Android 12L, the latest update to the Android operating system, brings a new taskbar for big screens. This feature is available in the Settings app and can be turned on by selecting “Taskbar on big screens” in the “General” section of the Android settings. The taskbar will show a list of all your current tasks and projects, as well as any open windows that are larger than your current screen size. You can drag and drop tasks from the list into open windows, or right-click on a task and select “New Task.” The task bar will also show a list of recent apps and websites you’ve visited, as well as any notifications that have been sent to your phone.
The most significant change confirmed for Android 12L is the inclusion of a taskbar, making switching between apps a smoother experience that’s closer to that of a laptop. Google says you can drag-and-drop an app from the taskbar to enter split-screen mode quickly, which sounds like a great way to take advantage of the larger screen.
Google also said it is “optimizing the display for the home screen, lock screen, notification shade, device set-up screens, settings and beyond.” Essentially, Android 12 is being rethought in ways that’ll make it look and function better on a big screen, which is really all any tablet user is looking for.
As far as availability goes, Google says it’ll bring Android 12L to devices from Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft through updates starting later this year. Unfortunately, Google didn’t specify which devices would get the tweaked version of Android, but it did mention tablets and foldables, so perhaps we could see the Galaxy Z Fold 3 getting the update.
Google doesn’t appear to be doing this just for Android 12. The company said, “we’ll continue to build more features and functionalities to help you make the most of your larger screen devices in Android 13 and beyond.”
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