Initiating a split-screen in Android 9.0 is not as easy as pie

by Alan Friedman

Aug 08, 2018, 12:07 PM

The latest build of Android, 9.0 Pie, uses AI in an attempt to improve the experience of those rocking Android devices running the new version of the OS. But if there is one thing that has Android owners steamed, it's the new roundabout way to initiate the split-screen on Android 9.0. The old method simply required that the user long-press on the square on the bottom right of the phone. Once that was accomplished, the second app to view could be selected.

Split screen in Android 9.0 P

On Android 9.0, with gesture controls enabled, you swipe up from the "pill" to the top of the screen. Tap the icon of the app you want on top of the split-screen. That will call up a menu from which you select "Split Screen." Lastly, you select the app you'd like at the bottom of the split-screen. This certainly is not as easy as pie. And changing to the three-button setup instead of using gestures won't change a thing. You still will have to swipe up from the box on the bottom right of the display.

So the bottom line is that it now takes four steps to activate the split-screen on Android 9.0, as opposed to the current two steps on earlier Android builds with the feature. As one Redditor pointed out, there is another issue. Initiating split-screen in Android 9.0 now means temporarily pausing any content being streamed while activating the feature. Previously, you could let streaming content run while setting up a split-screen.