- Six months after its initial appearance, Google is still testing the Bubble Anything feature.
- It’s a feature that allows apps to open in bubbles just like messaging bubbles Android introduced in Android 11.
- The feature is paired with the Bubble bar which has a small navbar, just like Android’s main navigation bar.
Multitasking has been an Android user’s best argument against iOS because Android has been great at it for decades. However, not all Android phones are made equally, and non-Pixels with third-party UIs have had better multitasking features. For example, Oxygen OS has a feature where you can drop an app window to the sides to form a bubble. Well, the Pixel UI seems to be taking a similar but enhanced approach as it could gain a cool “Bubble anything” feature in Android 16.
A feature called “Bubble anything” has been in the works on Pixel phones for quite some time. While it’s been almost six months since it last surfaced, according to Android Authority ‘s latest findings, Google hasn’t abandoned it. If anything, it looks better with a bubble bar accompanying it, and may arrive in Android 16.
Image Credit: Android Authority
For those unaware, “Bubble anything” lets you minimize windows in the form of bubbles at the bottom of your screen. It’s similar to the chat bubbles API that Android 11 introduced to have floating chat bubbles on the display. Oxygen OS 15 ( review ) has had a similar feature, which we highlighted in our review.
This feature, paired with the bubble bar, helps you have multiple app bubbles and makes them easier to manage. It appears to have its own tiny navigation bar, that shows when no apps in the bar are in use. To open an app as a bubble, you need to long-press on its icon and select the Open as a bubble option.
You can use the navbar at the top to dismiss the bubble, open in full screen, or move it around. Besides, Mishaal says Google wants to categorize bubbles and is therefore developing different categories like Chat, Note, App, or Shortcut.
Abubakar covers Tech at Beebom, with his passion for technology tracing back to 2011 when he received a Dell Inspiron 5100 as a gift. He’s also a passionate advocate for the right-to-repair movement, believing in empowering users to maintain and extend the life of their devices. Outside the tech world, he enjoys watching anime and exploring his newfound enthusiasm for Japanese cars. In his free time, you’ll often find him immersed in Genshin Impact or researching his next gadget purchase. Before joining Beebom, he contributed to leading publications like Android Police, How-To Geek, and Fossbytes.
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- Android 16 Beta 3 enables Screen-off Fingerprint unlock on older Google Pixels.
- The feature was previously believed to be exclusive to Pixel 9 series.
- With this, you can now unlock your Pixel phone quickly without AOD and turning on the display.
The next version of Android has reached its final testing phase with the recent Android 16 Beta 3 update. This beta didn’t bring any major upgrades but added many improvements for existing features. Among them, is the screen-off fingerprint feature, which is now available on older Google Pixel phones.
The Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock option in the Fingerprint Unlock settings menu allows users to unlock their Google Pixel phone with the screen off. This means, unlike previously where users had to tap to wake up the screen and then use the fingerprint to unlock, they can now just press on the fingerprint sensor region to unlock the phone.
To enable this feature on Android 16, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Fingerprint Unlock , and turn on the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock toggle under “When using Fingerprint Unlock”. To test it out, ensure Always-on Display is off. Turn off your phone’s screen and press any of your registered fingers in the sensor area. If this is active, your Pixel should automatically wake up and unlock.
For those unaware, Pixel 9 ( review ) series was the first to receive this feature with Android 16 DP 2 . We initially thought the feature would be Pixel 9-exclusive because of its ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. However, the feature is now available on Pixel 6 and newer models, which is a pleasant surprise.
Those who have Always-on display feature enabled can now disable it to save battery life. Instead, they can enable the Screen-off Fingerprint unlock feature for faster fingerprint unlock.
Abubakar covers Tech at Beebom, with his passion for technology tracing back to 2011 when he received a Dell Inspiron 5100 as a gift. He’s also a passionate advocate for the right-to-repair movement, believing in empowering users to maintain and extend the life of their devices. Outside the tech world, he enjoys watching anime and exploring his newfound enthusiasm for Japanese cars. In his free time, you’ll often find him immersed in Genshin Impact or researching his next gadget purchase. Before joining Beebom, he contributed to leading publications like Android Police, How-To Geek, and Fossbytes.
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