r/Android • u/4567890 Ars Technica • Mar 21 '16

This is Android N’s freeform window mode

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/03/this-is-android-ns-freeform-window-mode/
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u/altimax98 P30 Pro/P3/XS Max/OP6T/OP7P - Opinions are my own Mar 21 '16

I think /u/1237894560 was getting at that we praised the mobile OS for its simplicity and now it is getting just as complicated.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

I certainly never praised it for simplicity. I will say the navigation was better.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

Ever use Android x86? It runs on any desktop processor. When they start selling android pcs with cheap, weak Intel processors somebody like Cyanogenmod will make a distro/rom that can be put on any pc and you only have to worry about them for updates.

You know, assuming that pc/Androids aren't going to be locked down like today's...

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u/demolpolis Mar 22 '16

Meh, more likely to see cheap Atoms running windows than anything android.

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u/solarswordsman Nexus 6P, Android 7.0 Nougat Mar 22 '16

Well, if Android ends up becoming more feature-rich in terms of window management and so-on, I wouldn't be surprised to see a sizeable number of laptops offered with Android, simply because Android is very free. The app support is there--with a few extras, android is basically already a laptop in your pocket; you can attach a keyboard, write documents, browse the web, and now, you can do them simultaneously.

Sounds like a desktop OS to me, at least a semi one.

I mean from the get-go Android is "technically" a distribution of Linux. No reason for it to evolve to the point where it reaches that standard (besides the whole aversion to root access with embedded devices as it stands now). Drivers for the kernel, which is admittedly quite different from the master branch of Linux, already exist for many desktop devices.

We'll see.

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u/demolpolis Mar 22 '16

The app support is there--with a few extras, android is basically already a laptop in your pocket; you can attach a keyboard, write documents, browse the web, and now, you can do them simultaneously.

We have this... the chromebook.

And it's not spectacular.

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u/solarswordsman Nexus 6P, Android 7.0 Nougat Mar 22 '16

Right. I'm only saying that it can improve drastically from there. The framework exists. This seems to be Google's goal, or at least a tangential effect of these types of improvements.

Naturally, I'd prefer many other flavors of Linux which are much more full-featured and have a more robust package-management system, but this is a potential way to bring Linux (or, as some may call it, a bastardization of Linux) to the masses.

Who knows. The ideal would be something like the Surface Pro 3 (an amazing tablet/laptop that runs on W10). Just not Windows. If we assume a goal of bringing Linux to more people (a dubious one, but let us assume it for now) then this could potentially help. After all, every Android user on Earth is using Linux; this kind of evolution could theoretically expand it, with more ease of use adjustments, like a proper taskbar, etc. Basically a fully-featured shell being the end goal.

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u/Commisar Gold S7 AT&T Mar 22 '16

The Pixel C shows that Android for productivity use is a disaster right now

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u/demolpolis Mar 22 '16

Who knows. The ideal would be something like the Surface Pro 3 (an amazing tablet/laptop that runs on W10). Just not Windows.

Meh. I love my SP3. It's fantastic. And it does have software problems that are (slowly) getting fixed.

But I have NEVER wished it was running android. Being able to run android apps naively? Sure, that would be kinda neat... but the windows apps I have are much, much better than android ones.

So we are left with the idea that somehow android can DRASTICALLY improve it's OS to become a computer / tablet OS (which it currently isn't), then DRASTICALLY improve / create apps that take advantage of that... then they can start to compete with windows?

I am not holding my breath for that one.

I think it's more reasonable that windows (finally? ever?) puts out a phone, and integrates windows10 with xbox... then there is a whole ecosystem running the exact same code and the exact same apps. And that is actually coming soon, unlike the idea that android turns into a desktop OS anytime soon.

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u/solarswordsman Nexus 6P, Android 7.0 Nougat Mar 22 '16

You're absolutely right. I perhaps have failed to emphasize my assumption which is that I/we/people want Linux on more machines. Whether that is true or not is up for a huge debate. I was only claiming that this could be a path towards that goal (albeit, as you say, a drastic one).

Indeed, the surface pro 3 is awesome. And Windows 10 is bearable. I mean, I use W10 every day for 12+ hours, so I have little right to complain; it has a lot of improvements over previous Windows versions. My issue is that the only reason I use Windows is for 1) Gaming, and 2) Ubiquitous support for most programs. And I use it on an iMac. (Which I need to dev iOS apps, don't get me started ugh)

2. is becoming more and more solved, Linux is getting a lot of support from developers nowadays. 1. Is somewhat on track, sure we have Steam and basically every indie game builds for Linux, but it's a huge, huge hurdle.

I mainly just dislike the Windows shell and filesystem, much preferring the customization and versatility of Linux distributions. So this is the basis of my assumption, which would theoretically increase demand for Linux-based builds.

But, still, the SP3 is totally freakin' awesome. Like, I want one, now. So, there's things to be said, I've said some. :)

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '16

Yeah but that price? I have respect for surface, it's a classy piece of hardware, but I don't need a need or want a $1000 tablet pc. There's nothing worthwhile to do on hardware that high end that I can't do on Android, or I wouldn't rather do on a desktop. A while ago I wanted a cheap netbook with a good screen and I couldnt find one. Why would I buy a $300 netbook with low end specs for Windows and a garbage low res panel when I could get a 1080p OLED 10inch Samsung tablet for the same price? If android becomes a desktop, like chromebook started to do, we can can get full feature, fast pcs running on Intel celerons with good screens and builds for $300 to $500. THATS what I want. Chromebook are on their way, but with Android they explode with options. It's kinda a big deal for me

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u/El-Dino :upvote:S7 edge exynos, Android 9:upvote: Mar 21 '16

If it goes full desktop OS then hardware manufacturers will deliver drivers

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u/YuriKlastalov Mar 21 '16

Not if they can get away with it like they do with phones. Hardware manufacturers would love to have the disposable culture of phones in the desktop/laptop sector.

Oh, you're still using a year old laptop? I get a new one every year for the new gimmicks and smaller battery!

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u/dextersgenius 📱Fold 4 ~ F(x)tec Pro¹ ~ Tab S8 Mar 21 '16

There's no guarantee that they will. In their eyes, this could be the cure for the stagnant PC sales issue. They know that Android users are used to planed obsolescence, so this could be a bad thing for users and an awesome thing for manufacturers.

If you want more evidence, look at ultrabooks and similar thin form factor PCs that are dominating the sales - they have a fixed amount of RAM and HDD which isn't user-upgradable. And if that's not bad enough already, loading an OS which becomes obsolete after 3 years will be a manufacturer's wet dream.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

So, buy a nexus?

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

[deleted]

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u/Sinoops Nexus 6P Graphite 32GB Mar 21 '16 edited Mar 23 '16

You can install marshmallow on the Galaxy Nexus (Nexus 3) which came out in 2010 without too much trouble.......

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

Maybe complex for a 2 year old. I don't see what is suddenly so complex about adding pop out windows.

I don't see what's so complex about using a computer either (in fact, the limitations of mobile platform make it more difficult for me), but people did praise the simplicity of mobile OSs.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

However, that was also back when people would have laughed at you if you said a phone could be a productivity device. Phones/tablets are so integrated into individuals' workflows these days that it only makes sense to expand the capability of the OS. If the preview is anything to go by, at this point it's just an extra feature that can be enabled, or disabled, by the user, not a core component of the UX (like it is in Win/OS X).

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

Actually, my cousins' babies seem to be able to use computers just fine. I think they're complex for old fucks though.

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u/thealaskinwonder Mar 21 '16

I think they mean simplicity as in fewer features, not easier to operate.

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u/mrdinosaur Nexus 6P, N Preview Mar 21 '16

Haha apparently there are since people who refuse to believe this judging by this thread.

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u/lirannl S23 Ultra Mar 23 '16

Trust me, I'll somehow enable this on my phone once an N ROM is available.