What you need to know
- Samsung is reportedly bringing the taskbar feature of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to older models.
- The feature is supposed to arrive as part of the upcoming UI 4.1.1 update.
- It will purportedly make its way to older Galaxy Fold devices later this year.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the first smartphone to ship with Android 12L out of the box, boasting a slew of multitasking features tailored to large screens, such as the new taskbar. However, this particular feature may not remain exclusive to the Fold 4 for much longer.
According to tipster @TheGalox_, Samsung intends to introduce the taskbar to older Galaxy Z Fold models with a future One UI update (via GSMArena). The persistent taskbar is a handy capability that lets you pin your favorite apps to the bottom of the screen so you can quickly switch between them without having to open the app drawer. It allows you to multitask by launching apps in split-screen mode.
It works much like the dock on conventional Android phones, except that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 can house up to eight apps. Meanwhile, Android 12L typically accommodates up to six apps in the taskbar.
The leaker claims that the taskbar will come to older Galaxy Fold devices along with One UI 4.1.1, which is supposed to arrive later this year. Samsung also recently confirmed to 9to5Google that the Z Fold 3 will pick up the Android 12L taskbar, though it didn't specify an exact date.
However, it remains uncertain whether every Fold generation will get the feature as well. But it's a safe bet that Samsung will roll out the update to all Galaxy Fold iterations given that the first model was treated to One UI 4 earlier this year.
As for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung already baked a similar feature into the previous-generation foldable device, though it has some quirks. For example, the Fold 3's taskbar sits on the side of the screen instead of the bottom. Also, you can't open two apps in a split-screen mode without using the App Pairs feature. The Fold 4 simplifies this task, requiring only gesture control.
If Samsung does port the updated taskbar to its older foldable phones, owners of those devices will experience the multitasking upgrade offered by the Fold 4.
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