Android has a greatly overhauled desktop mode on the way to replace the current primitive proof of concept in developer options. 6th gen Pixels added hardware-based virtualization support and 8th gen Pixels added USB-C DisplayPort alternate mode. It will all come together soon.
Overhauled desktop mode is already partially shipped as a disabled-by-default feature. Android enables some of it for the Pixel Tablet already but not Pixel phones. We plan to enable the same feature flags for phones too. Either way, it’s an experimental developer option for now.
Having used Dex on my Samsung I’m not even going to consider going back to Pixel until they have this working well. If you have a use case for it, Dex is awesome.
You do you. I haven’t touched a Samsung device since my S6 that was absolutely chock full of unremovable bloatware.
It’s a lot better now. I have an original Galaxy S and moving from it to a Nexus was a breath of fresh air. I was never I to the Samsung bloat.
However, the Pixel line has been stagnating and Samsung had been working hard to add little quality of life features that honestly Android should have had a long time ago. The bloat is way less and a lot can be uninstalled. With a custom launcher on it it’s actually better than my Pixels (IMO).
Google is just not interested in making Android more usable or real features. They want more AI and assistant nonsense. Dex is just something that Android should have had years ago, so it’s good that they’re starting but they’re way behind.
It’s a lot better now.
People tell me this all the time but every one I’ve ever seen is full of Samsung bloatware. Then they want to argue with me that it isn’t bloatware. Anything that isn’t essential to the core OS and can’t be removed is bloatware, in my eyes.
It’s not better it’s still full of bloat I don’t know what these people are talking about
Thank you for confirming.
Just yesterday, I was comparing my phone to my aging laptop and realized my phone is about twice as powerful.
Ooh, interesting. And here I was thinking I would be sticking with my 7 until support ends.
Wow, are you me?
I am in the same boat! A few days ago I told my buddy I’m gonna ride this as long as I can. And iirc they are providing 7 years of security updates?
I really don’t think I’d ever keep any phone for 7 years but it doesn’t hurt. But yeah, desktop mode will be the first meaningful feature add since the Pixel 5.
No - at least not last time I checked. 🤔
Check your carbon monoxide detector.
Weird. Had a post it about that on my bathroom mirror just the other day … 🤨
Pixel 8 and up, I have a Pixel 7, bruh.
Also same. Think I’ll stick with it and my laptop for as long as I can then when the time comes to upgrade one of them see if this will meet my requirements.
Same. I wasn’t planning to upgrade but if this is remotely useful I can use it to replace my laptop with its’ dying battery. Can also take it on the go with with one of those NexDock laptop shell things.
Looking forward to this. I have a pair of XREAL Air 2 Pros that I mainly use to watch movies when I’m traveling. With those and a bluetooth keyboard, desktop mode on my Pixel 8 would be pretty neat.
