Summary
- Android 15 may add a new take on chat bubbles for devices with big screens.
- Google is developing a bubble bar that hides chat bubbles by default, making conversations instantly accessible without taking up screen space.
- The bubble bar may initially be limited to tablets like the Pixel Tablet, but could expand to foldables in the future.
A long time ago, Facebook Messenger introduced a feature called chat heads, which moved your conversations into floating bubbles that sit on top of other content you see. The concept proved so popular that Google added a native version of it in Android 11, long after Facebook gave up on it more and more. Since then, the system-wide Chat Bubbles have languished as a little used option, but with Android 15, this could change again — at least for Android devices with big screens.
The brand-new Android 14 QPR3 beta reveals that Google might move chat bubbles to their own dedicated section in the bottom left on tablets. This was spotted in a teardown by Android expert Mishaal Rahman, writing for Android Authority. The new experience will hide chat bubbles by default, only showing them when you swipe up from a new extra bar at the bottom left of the screen. This makes it possible to keep your conversations active and instantly accessible without them taking up any real estate on your screen.
Mishaal Rahman says the bubble bar has been in development for more than a year, but that it’s only started working with Android 14 QPR3 beta 1. With this in mind, it’s possible that the feature will already go live as early as June, which is when the QPR3 should be released as the June Feature Drop. However, Google has started routinely testing upcoming features in earlier Android releases, so it’s possible that the company will hold back the chat bubble bar for Android 15.
At this stage, it’s also unclear whether the new bubble bar will be restricted to tablets or if it will also come to foldables. Mishaal Rahman speculates that it will likely be limited to the Pixel Tablet in the beginning, but that it may come to foldables at some point in the future, too.
Android 14 QPR3 is filled with some interesting features. Google is also planning to bring a new cover screen gesture to the Pixel Fold, which will allow you to continue using an app from the inner screen on the outer screen when you close the handset. Android 14 QPR3 could also automatically adjust phones’ touch sensitivity depending on the environment, activities, and whether a screen protector is applied. It’s likely that in the months leading up to the stable release, we will learn a lot more about what Google has planned for the upcoming release.
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