After looking at the many features of Android Nougat 7.0, one particular feature caught my eye: The Multitasking ability. This was predicted last year according to this previous article. I believe with this feature, mobile phones and tablets are ready to replace all other gadgets and this is a big threat to desktop computers.
It’s not a new feature as many manufacturers’ ROM have come with this feature, especially Samsung. Unlike Windows devices, Android lacks this feature in all the previous stock releases and I particularly have been waiting for this feature a long while.
However, this is the first time a stock Android release ships with this feature. Apparently Google is taking clues from Samsung and Windows, and guess who’s excited? ME!
How It Works
The feature works well both on portrait and landscape mode. In landscape mode you’re only allowed a 50-50 split, but in portrait mode app developers can choose the appropriate widths for their applications.
It is cool but I’d have loved more freedom on app widths like I enjoy on my Microsoft Surface Tablet. You can enable the feature by long-pressing the app button while in an app proper and this will effectively put the foreground app on top while another app stays below it.
Alternatively, you can choose another app from the app picker or tap the home button to select another app. The quick app switching (another new function) means that three separate apps can easily be toggled right on one screen without having to leave one for the other and that’s really cool.
This means you can watch your YouTube video or movies without any interruption.
Implication
For big screen lovers and users, this is a big development. You can even drag files from one app to another while operating them simultaneously. The split-screen function will be enjoyed on tablets and phablets.
Furthermore, multitasking will get easier. Google will eventually merge Chrome OS with And Android OS to create something spectacular. It’s happening already. In one sentence what windows can do, Android can now do.
This means the line between Desktop computing and Mobile Operating Systems is getting blurrier. Multitasking is the new sexy! While we wait for this Android version to get pushed to devices by OEMs and carriers, what do you think of this new feature? Are you excited?