Since my first smartphone, I’ve multitasked in one way. I open an app, switch to another, then back to the original, and so on.
It’s the least efficient way to work with multiple apps, but I’ve always found Android’s built-in multitasking tools inadequate.
However, Android 17’s focus on multitasking improvements has made me use a feature I’ve hated in the past, and has gotten me excited about tablets and foldables again.
It’s an interesting update, but what’s most surprising is that I’m actually using the changes.
Android 17 is headed to Pixel phones now, and it’ll change the way you multitask
The biggest OS release of the year has started
I couldn’t understand the purpose of bubbles before Android 17
It was too limited and clunky to be of use
Bubbles aren’t a new Android feature. We’ve had chat bubbles for years, but I’ve never enjoyed using them.
I receive a truly urgent chat message about once a month. That is, a message where I have to reply instantly to avoid negative consequences.
The rest of the time, I respond whenever I’ve finished my current task, or I have the app already open.
Chat bubbles were, therefore, just an annoying reminder of messages I didn’t need to respond to. The notification panel was more than suitable for storing them.
Android 17’s bubbles, on the other hand, are vastly more useful.
I never thought I could multitask like this on a Pixel phone
Who knew bubbles could be this useful?
Android 17’s bubbles are a multitasking revolution. Now, I can bubbleify any app I want, and the experience is overall better to use.
After updating to Android 17, I didn’t deliberately try to start using the feature. But when I went to update my to-do list with tomorrow’s tasks, I had a breakthrough.
I fill my to-do list with events drawn from Google Calendar, the Structured calendar app, Slack, Asana, the Pebble app, Google Drive, and my various messaging apps.
That’s a lot to juggle, which is why when planning my day, I tend to switch to my computer.
However, Android 17 has changed all that. All these apps now live in a convenient bubble on the side of my screen, so I can quickly tap between five apps while Calmly Writer sits in the background.
The feature also comes with its own app drawer, where dismissed bubbles are stored.
I learned to bubble only productivity apps, so I have them all at my fingertips without the rest of my phone getting in the way.
Whether I’m copying events from Sheets, scrolling through group chats on WhatsApp, or checking my Google Calendar, I can build my daily plan in half the time that I used to.
Or let’s say I’ve spotted news worth discussing later. Within a couple of seconds, I can save a link to my notes app without ever leaving the article.
The crucial factor of Android 17’s new bubbles is their ease of use. I like a minimalist setup, but I feel like a power user for the first time.
It’s beautifully simple and effective, and it’s not the only thing I’m excited about on Android 17.
Tablets now make sense with Android 17
A small bubble bar will make a world of difference
Tablets and foldables running Android 17 also receive a bubble bar. This means that only Google Pixel Fold users can use them currently, but we can expect the feature to arrive on any compatible device running the update in the future.
The bubble bar is a dedicated space to organize, transition between, and dock app bubbles.
While bubbles are effective on my Pixel 10 Pro, I can see large-screen devices being the best place for them, so it makes sense to have expanded functionality.
This lightweight multitasking tool is exactly the kind of thing I want from my Android updates. No AI, no complications, just productivity improvements anyone can use.
Android tablets can already replace a desktop screen, but this update is a productivity upgrade for standard use.
A small tweak to split-screen functionality has made a dramatic difference
This is what the feature should have done in the first place
Android 17 also brought two upgrades to split-screen functionality. Firstly, the split-screen divider now has handy arrows for incremental adjustments.
This makes adjusting my split-screen apps much easier. Rather than accidentally closing one app, I tap the arrow once or twice to get the perfect ratio.
The second, and more impactful, feature is the 90:10 split. Make one app as small as possible, and Android 17 will darken it. Tap it, and the ratio will flip.
It’s a handy feature when you need to switch between two apps frequently in a short space of time. With the new bubble feature, I’m multitasking more than ever.
Android 17 is more impactful than you might think
Android 17’s multitasking upgrades are now invaluable to me.
I’ve adopted bubbles and the 90:10 split-screen feature into my daily life, and what’s most impressive is that I did it all without thinking about it.
Productivity upgrades tend to take me weeks to adopt, but I started using these fully within hours.
I never thought I would be multitasking like this on a Pixel phone before, but Google has proved me wrong.
