When it comes to software on computers, the fact that we can move and resize pretty much any window means that it is possible to have multiple apps running on top of each other. When it comes to smartphones, not so much since apps usually take up the whole screen. However that could soon change with Android N.
The folks at ArsTechnica have recently discovered clues inside the developer preview of Android N that points towards the software having support for freeform window mode. For those unfamiliar, what this means is that users will be able to move apps around and resize them like you would a desktop app.
They managed to get the feature up and running but as they point out, the current iteration of the feature is still very rough around the edges. The basic functionality such as resizing and moving are still there, but there are some limitations such how to show apps hidden behind other apps, and how its width and height can’t be resized at the same time.
It is unclear as to how deep this feature will go and whether or not Google will tweak Android’s RAM management to allow apps to run even when they aren’t in focus, like a true multitasking experience one might expect from a computer, but from what we can tell it looks like the groundwork is there.