Earlier this year, we saw reports that Google was working to enhance Android's desktop mode. Not simply relying on screen mirroring, but an actual desktop mode like Samsung's DeX. However, an improved version has reappeared in Android 15 Beta 4.1, which gives us some hope.

Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority has discovered that Android 15's new desktop mode may also work on Android tablets. This means that you will no longer need to connect to an external display in order to launch a desktop-like experience on a tablet.

According to Rahman, an Android tablet with a large enough display is required, but he did not specify how large a display is needed, other than the fact that it worked on an 11-inch Pixel Tablet. The user then needs to go into the "Recents" menu, open the app drop-down menu, and tap the brand new "Desktop" button.

When this button is tapped, the app appears to become a free-floating window, with behavior similar to the browser window on the Samsung DeX. That is, the window can be minimized, maximized, pinned to the side, or connected to a completely different app window. Of course, there is a taskbar at the bottom of the screen to help you keep track of it all, and you can see it all in action in Rahman's demo video.

The built-in desktop mode is an intriguing addition to the Android tablet experience, and when combined with the fact that the Google Pixel Tablet can function as both a docked Nest home hub and a standalone tablet, the desktop By adding a desktop mode, it appears that Google wants to make its Android tablet as versatile and versatile as possible.

So even if you need a larger screen, you can do what you need to do as easily as possible. It also allows you to work on your tablet on the go, since you don't need to connect it to an external screen. This is not something the Samsung DeX can offer, but there is a big difference between carrying a cell phone and a tablet with you at all times.

This versatility may even be a useful selling point in the future of the Pixel Tablet, especially if desktop mode becomes compatible with external displays as well. However, it remains to be seen how this will happen and when this feature will become more widely available.

Maybe this is how Google will convince people that the Pixel Tablet 2 will be available at any moment.