Google introduced “bubbles” as a way to let messaging apps float above other apps for easy access. It appears that in future versions of Android, Google may make these even more useful by allowing you to run arbitrary apps inside a “bubble.”
Currently, Android “bubbles” are tied to notifications and are designed to allow messaging apps to run in floating windows, ensuring your messages are available no matter what you’re doing. It’s a useful feature, but one that’s often forgotten.
However, Google is likely to carry over the basic functionality and make significant upgrades.
everyone is here Android permissions has managed to reveal new features that Google is probably working on for Android 16. This new feature allows you to run any app inside a bubble. This new option allows users to manually place any app inside a bubble and use the app with just a tap, effectively introducing a new form of multitasking. Development of this feature was confirmed in Android 15 QPR1 and appears to be fully functional, suggesting it may be released well before Android 16.
The new option works, at least on Pixel, by adding a bubble button to an app’s home screen icon.
Google is also working on a new “bubble bar” for Android tablets. This allows floating windows to be better organized and potentially makes this new feature even more useful.
Again, it’s unclear when this feature will be rolled out, but the fact that it’s fully functional behind the scenes suggests that it will be released before the launch of Android 16, possibly in the next QPR release in addition to Android 15. It already strongly hints at the possibilities it offers.
Android details:
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