Android 15: Tiny Taskbar simplifies multitasking on Google Pixel 9, Samsung Galaxy S24 and the like

Google has been working for years to better optimize Android for devices with larger displays so that users can make better use of the additional screen space of devices such as the Pixel tablet or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6. One of these optimizations is the taskbar, which was first introduced with Android 12L in 2022

Not only does it allow you to quickly switch between apps or open frequently used apps directly, it is also possible to drag an app icon to one half of the screen to display the app directly in a multitasking view, making it easy to use several apps at the same time. With Android 15, Google is apparently also bringing this taskbar to Android smartphones with smaller displays, as Android Authority has just spotted the so-called "Tiny Taskbar" in the fourth beta version of Android 15.

As the video embedded below shows, this is simply a shorter version of the regular Android taskbar, which can be shown at any time with a swipe gesture at the bottom of the screen. It is also possible to configure the taskbar so that it is permanently displayed. A total of four apps can then be accessed directly from the taskbar, while the fifth icon provides access to the app selector for opening other applications in a split-screen view in no time at all. It is unclear whether the Tiny Taskbar will be available in the first version of Android 15 or whether it will be added in a later update.