After seemingly neglecting Android tablets for years, Google has finally started showing them some love with Android 12L and its numerous big-screen-specific optimizations and features. One of these was a very PC-style taskbar, offering a smoother app switching experience closer to that of a desktop. This new element is now undergoing further refinements in the freshly released Android 13 DP2, with the resurrection of a long-lost feature.
Android 13 DP2’s taskbar includes an app drawer shortcut that should make navigating between apps even easier (as spotted by Mishaal Rahman). In DP1, the only way to access all your apps was by returning to the home screen and swiping up. Developer Preview 2 streamlines that process by adding an app drawer icon to the taskbar, letting you jump right to your apps no matter which you’re currently working in. The icon only seems to appear when you’re already in an app, and disappears upon returning to the home screen.
Android dropped its prominent app drawer icon years ago when Nougat arrived with its swipe-up gesture. Not everyone was fond of the change back then, so this return may be a pleasant surprise for some. It’s worth noting that tablet-focused elements like the taskbar here appear only on DPI levels higher than 600, so you won’t see this on your Pixel phone running DP2 (at least not without a little futzing with settings).
If you’d like to try out today’s release for yourself, we’ve got a helpful install guide ready to walk you through the process, then make sure you catch up with all our ongoing Android 13 DP2 coverage.
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