Last year, Google was rumored to be introducing a full desktop mode with the Pixel 8. The company enabled the device's display output last month, but the experience is still quite lackluster.

However, according to Android Authority, they have found evidence that Google is improving desktop mode in the background. This could mean that Google plans to launch this in the next Android 15 update.

As this article points out, desktop mode has existed since Android 10 in 2019, but is woefully incomplete. As it stands, it's more for developers to test their apps on multiple displays than for buyers to use their phones like a PC. It lacks many of the basic features that are expected to be really useful for the average user.

Using the Android 14 QPR Beta 2.1 build, Mishaal Rahman of this site was able to enable the desktop mode experience in its current state.

As the video above shows, Android's desktop mode is a bit more like Windows, macOS, and Linux than it used to be; not only does Windows have titles and icons, but they can now be dragged and resized at will. Minimizing, maximizing, and snapping to the edge of the screen are now all possible.

This is a big improvement, but it is important not to hype it up as a complete desktop solution. As it stands, it still lacks many things that desktop users take for granted, such as keyboard shortcuts and what Rahman calls a "robust desktop launcher." On top of that, many apps still do not support drag-and-drop, narrowing the wings of this mode considerably.

These things can and probably will be fixed, but it will take time. This could debut at Google I/O in May, Pixel 9 this fall, or later.

In the meantime, those seeking a phone that offers a good experience on both mobile and desktop should consider a Samsung phone with DeX support or a Motorola phone with Ready For. Both offer a more powerful experience than stock Android, but hopefully that won't be the case for much longer.