Fluid Experiences: All about advanced multitasking and the new user experience in Android O
Multitasking has evolved as one of the fundamental pillars of mobile operating systems.With the constant advancement of technology, the needs of Android phone users have changed radically. It's no longer enough to be able to quickly switch between apps: we demand productivity, convenience, and the ability to multitask without sacrificing fluidity or efficiency.
In this context, Fluid Experiences represents one of the key innovations introduced in Android O, aimed at completely transforming the user experience and the way we interact with our devices every day. In this comprehensive article, we take an in-depth look at what Fluid Experiences is, all its features, its real-world impact on multitasking, and its integration with other advancements coming with Android O.
What is Fluid Experiences in Android O?
Fluid Experiences is a set of features and improvements developed by Google for Android O, which aims to provide a much more fluid, intuitive and effective interaction with the operating system, allowing users to perform multiple actions simultaneously Without interruptions or complications. Under this umbrella, Google not only brings together improvements to classic multitasking, but also integrates a series of smart features and optimizations designed to make the experience as natural as possible.
The key to Fluid Experiences lies in how The system prioritizes tasks, manages notifications and allows interaction between different applications, streamlining workflow and eliminating common friction that previously hindered mobile productivity.
Key features of Fluid Experiences in Android O
1. True multitasking with floating windows and Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode
One of the most revolutionary points of Fluid Experiences is the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode, designed to take multitasking to the next level. This feature allows certain applications, such as video players or video calling apps, to remain active in a small floating window above the rest of the applications, thus facilitating a real, unrestricted multitasking. Learn more about multimedia features in Android O.
For example, if you're watching a YouTube video or participating in a Google Duo video call and need to answer a message or check another app, you can shrink the video window and continue viewing it while freely browsing other apps without interrupting your original activity. This feature is a huge improvement over previous solutions, where switching apps meant pausing or interrupting your main activity.
PiP support is not limited to specific Google apps: The API is available for developers to integrate into their own apps., which opens the door for many multimedia and communication applications to take advantage of this feature.
2. Notification points and interactive balloons
Another of the great innovations introduced are the notification points (notification dots), a small visual dot that appears over the application icon on the desktop when there is a pending notification. Long-pressing the app icon will bring up a context menu. that displays recent notifications along with related shortcuts, allowing Consult and manage important information without having to open the app directly.
This feature contributes to much more convenient and visual notification management, optimizing user time and minimizing interruptions during daily use.
3. Smart text selection and advanced clipboard
La smart text selection makes use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to automatically identify useful entities when we select a piece of text. For example, if you select an address, the system will suggest opening it directly in Google Maps; if you select a phone number, the suggestion will be to call or save the number to your contacts.
This smart clipboard recognizes company names, URLs, phone numbers, postal addresses and more, adapting the context menu based on the selected content and allowing copy relevant information with a single tap and activate it directly.
4. Customizable notification channels and categories
Android O's new notification system introduces notification channels, a significant improvement that allows notifications to be grouped and categorized according to their nature, origin, or importance. Thanks to this, The user has absolute control over what type of alerts they wish to receive and how they want them to be managed. (with sound, silent only, priority, etc.).
This is a key difference from previous versions, where notifications from the same app were grouped together but without the ability to filter by category (for example, social media notifications versus reminders or technical alerts).
5. Improvements in background application management and resource optimization
Fluid Experiences also encompasses improvements at the level of background process management. Android O includes a series of Automatic limitations on resource usage by non-foreground applicationsThis not only helps improve battery life and overall system performance, but also reduces the chance of poorly optimized apps interfering with normal device use.
The operating system now monitors the activities of open and background applications in real time, preventing them from consuming resources in an excessive or unjustified manner, thus preserving the system speed and stability.
6. Native autofill of forms and data
Another of the smart features that comes with Fluid Experiences is the native autofill (Auto-Fill). Now, when you access login forms, the operating system can securely and efficiently autofill encrypted usernames and passwords, facilitating quick and error-free access to services and applications.
How developer integration works
Most Fluid Experiences features require collaboration with application developers. Google provides tools and APIs for developers to integrate into their apps., whether by enabling PiP mode, notification dots, or tailoring notifications to new customizable channels.
However, it's up to each developer to implement these new features, so availability may vary from app to app. In the case of popular apps like Netflix, Facebook Messenger, YouTube, or Google Duo, integration is usually almost immediate given the benefits it brings to the user experience.
Key advantages of Fluid Experiences over traditional multitasking
- Improved productivity: Now it is possible perform several tasks simultaneously without losing track of any of them or having to restart applications.
- Greater control and customization: Users have the ability to customize notification behavior, grouping or silencing them according to their priorities.
- Smart interaction: Thanks to contextual selection and the improved clipboard, Interaction with text and information is much more fluid and direct.
- Less resource consumption: Advanced background application management optimizes battery and data consumption, keeping the device always agile and efficient.
Additional news and improvements associated with Android O
Fluid Experiences doesn't come alone: Android O introduces a series of improvements related to stability, security, and performance:
- Vitals: A set of optimizations designed to improve system performance and battery life by limiting resource usage by background apps.
- Google Play Protect: Active protection against malicious applications through continuous scanning both in the Play Store and on the device itself, ensuring security and privacy.
- Adaptive and dynamic icons: App icons can now automatically change their appearance to match the launcher's aesthetic, as well as become interactive and animated when receiving notifications.
- New emojis and visual redesign: Google has reinvented the emoji set to align Android's aesthetic with that of other platforms, improving visual communication between users.
- Project Treble: Modular system architecture that facilitates updates, allowing manufacturers and operators to more easily distribute new versions of Android.
Differences between Fluency, Multitasking and User Experience
In many cases, the concepts of fluidity, multitasking and user experience can overlap, but Fluid Experiences combines the best of both worlds:
- Fluency: It refers to the ability of the system and applications to respond quickly and without delay, making transitions and actions natural.
- Multitask: It refers to the ability to run multiple applications or processes in parallel without losing context or relevant information.
- User experience: It is the end result of the integration of functions, design, speed and customization, which determines how comfortable and satisfying the device is to use.
Fluid Experiences is the nexus between these three concepts, taking smartphone interaction to a new level.
How to get the most out of Fluid Experiences
- Update your applications to its latest versions, as developers gradually implement the advanced features offered by Android O.
- Customize your notification channels from the settings menu to receive only the alerts that are truly important and tailored to your daily routine.
- Take advantage of Picture-in-Picture mode in compatible apps to always stay connected and productive without giving up your multimedia content or video calls.
- Use smart text selection to save time when copying, sharing or interacting with relevant information detected by the system.
Impact of Fluid Experiences on Security and Privacy
The integration of Fluid Experiences in Android O not only brings usability improvements, but It helps to strengthen security, privacy and user control over their information.Thanks to advanced permission management, background access restrictions, and Android's new privacy policies, users retain control over the data accessed by apps, reducing the risk of data leaks or excessive resource consumption.
Additionally, the native autofill system securely manages credentials, encrypting data and preventing malicious apps from accessing it.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fluid Experiences and Multitasking on Android O
- Are all apps compatible with Fluid Experiences?
- Not all apps are immediately compatible, as developers need to update them to support new APIs and features. However, the most popular native apps typically quickly adopt these improvements.
- Can I disable notification dots for specific apps?
- Yes. From your notification settings, you can configure which apps display notification dots and which don't, personalizing your experience.
- Does Picture-in-Picture mode consume more battery?
- Thanks to Android O optimizations and efficient resource management, additional power consumption is minimal compared to the functionality it provides. Additionally, limiting background processes helps preserve the device's overall battery life.
- Does smart text selection work in all languages?
- Smart Selection is constantly being improved. Initially, it works optimally in English and other major languages, but Google expands its support and accuracy with each update.
Requirements and devices compatible with Fluid Experiences
To get the most out of Fluid Experiences, it is essential to have a device updated to Android O or a later version that supports these features. Some manufacturers may need to adapt their customization layers to fully support the new APIs, so availability may vary by model and carrier.
Among the first devices to incorporate these improvements are the Nexus and Pixel models, followed by major brands updating their high-end and mid-range devices according to the Android update schedule.
Google's vision: the future of mobile productivity
With Fluid Experiences, Google is betting on a user experience based on fluidity, intelligence and personalizationThe idea is to give users the freedom to interact with their device naturally, having all the information and tools they need at their fingertips to maximize their productivity, creativity, or entertainment, without having to deal with technical obstacles or constant interruptions.
The combination of advanced multitasking, smart notifications, efficient resource management, and robust security lays the groundwork for what will undoubtedly be the standard for use in future generations of mobile devices.
Fluid Experiences represents a quiet but fundamental revolution in everyday smartphone use. It changes our relationship with technology, making complex tasks easier and allowing us to focus on what's important, discovering new ways to make the most of every minute of our digital lives. We now invite you to share your impressions, experiences, and expectations regarding these innovations in Android O in the comments. Do you think Fluid Experiences marks a turning point in mobile multitasking?