Android 16

Android 16 hints at split-screen update for tablets, could show 3 apps at once

Ben Schoon | Jan 16 2025 - 1:40 pm PT

Multitasking on Android has been around for ages, but it hasn’t changed much in a long time. Whether on a phone, a foldable, or a full-size tablet, Android technically only supports running two apps at once unless a skin adds additional functionality. For Android 16, it seems Google is working on a revamp for split-screen mode with support for up to 3 apps at once on tablet displays.

Using two apps at once is helpful on virtually any screen size, but on larger displays, the ability to use three at once can be handy from time to time as well. This is a feature that many Android manufacturers have added to their devices in one form or another over the years. Samsung supports up to three split-screen apps – two on one side and one on the other – as well as pop-up views and more in One UI. Lenovo has a “PC Mode” with floating windows. One of our favorites has been Open Canvas, a system available on the OnePlus Pad (and Open) which allows a lot of flexibility in how apps are arranged, and also supports up to three apps at a time.

As spotted by Android Authority, it seems Google is finally ready to bring this into Android itself, and is toying with one system to do so in Android 16 behind the scenes.

While it’s nowhere close to live yet, Android 16 DP2 has a “flexible” multitasking system in the works which seems to support showing up to three apps at once. This was found through an animation where users are prompted to put a third app into split-screen mode on either side of the existing two.

This doesn’t work yet at all, but it seems to function similarly to OnePlus’ Open Canvas. But, that said, it’s hard to know for certain what Google has planned. At the very least, it looks like Android tablets will finally be able to show 3 apps at once without additional work required. That’d benefit the Pixel Tablet first and foremost, and many other tablets over time.

Android 16 is still in its early days, with developer previews available now and a beta program set to open sometime this month.