Android Q gets support for multitasking via ‘bubbles’

Google is going to build multitasking via a new interface element called ‘bubbles’ into Android Q. That has been announced by the search giant. The feature is similar to the ‘chat heads’ in Facebook Messenger from a few years ago.

Those ‘bubbles’ are always in view, and users can open a larger window with a single tap and do something with it, Google says. The calibrated example is of course a chat window, where the bubble shows a photo of the contact.

Google says bubbles can also be used for reminders, tasks, and translations. The intention is that users have faster access to certain information. Google has put a sample app online. The function is based on the Android notification system. The bubbles resemble the chat heads feature from a 2013 release of Facebook Messenger.

Bubbles are part of beta 2 of Android Q that will be released Wednesday evening. Another component is Scoped Storage, which means that apps no longer just have access to the entire storage, but only to their own sandbox. In addition, there is a new api for developers to set which microphone and in which direction apps should record sound, something that camera apps for example can use.

The second beta of Android Q is available for download for Google’s own Pixel phones. The beta will probably come out later for other devices. That also happened last year with the test version of Android Pie, which eventually came out for more than ten models of phones after Google I/O in May. The first beta of Android Q came out a few weeks ago.