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Google is building its own DeX: First look at Android's Desktop Mode

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442 points logic_node | 7 comments | 13 May 25 14:30 UTC | HN request time: 0.631s | source | bottom
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lanthissa ◴[13 May 25 15:03 UTC] No.43973748[source]▶
this done well is a transformational thing, its just no one has been willing to invest yet, but the compute on a phone is now good enough to do most things most users do on desktop.

I can easily see the future of personal computing being a mobile device with peripherals that use its compute and cloud for anything serious. be that airpods, glasses, watches, or just hooking that device up to a larger screen.

theres not a great reason for an individual to own processing power in a desktop, laptop, phone, and glasses when most are idle while using the others.

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1. mushufasa ◴[13 May 25 15:07 UTC] No.43973781[source]▶
in a sense apple is already doing this, since there's shared chip tech in the laptops and phones.

I still will prefer the form factor of a laptop for anything serious though; screen, speakers, keyboard.

Yes you can get peripherals for a phone, yes I have tried that, no they're not good. Though perhaps with foldable screens this could change in the future.

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2. danieldk ◴[13 May 25 18:59 UTC] No.43976387[source]▶
Apple is intentionally hampering the desktop experience on the iPad and is very late in brining Stage Manager to the iPhone (the rumor is now iOS 19). Until there is serious competition (this and/or improvements to DeX, Apple will drag their feet because they want to sell you three compute device categories (or four if you count the Vision Pro).
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3. logic_node ◴[13 May 25 19:11 UTC] No.43976503[source]▶
True! Apple’s already ahead with the shared chip setup between Macs and iPhones. But yeah, for real work, nothing beats a proper laptop — big screen, keyboard, good speakers. I’ve tried using a phone with accessories too… not the same vibe. Maybe foldables will change that someday!
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4. MBCook ◴[13 May 25 20:05 UTC] No.43977101[source]▶
They have the hardware. They don’t provide ANY software for this kind of thing though. And there is a very real chance it could cannibalize some Mac sales.

I’ve always wondered if this kind of thing is actually that useful, but it’s not even an option for me because of the above.

Seems surprising Google didn’t act on this earlier. But maybe they didn’t want to cannibalize the Chromebooks?

I get the feeling very very few people know this exists at all on some Samsung phones. I’ve asked some tech-y people with Samsungs about it before and they didn’t even know it existed.

5. mark_l_watson ◴[14 May 25 03:36 UTC] No.43980507[source]▶
So true! I have experimented with plugging an iPad Pro into an Apple 7K Studio Monitor with keyboard and an Apple Trackpad and Stage Manager: close to being generally useful, but I also get the idea that Apple is purposely holding back to prevent reducing Mac sales.

That is why I am rooting for Samsung DeX and what Google is offering: Samsung and Google can make money for their own reasons making a universal personal digital device.

6. justincormack ◴[14 May 25 09:55 UTC] No.43982696[source]▶
A desktop then, or a laptop plugged into a proper screen, real speakers etc. A laptop is still a compromise.
7. wkat4242 ◴[14 May 25 12:48 UTC] No.43983895[source]▶
Also, stage manager is not a good way of doing real work. It's with good reason that people abhor it on the Mac. On an iPad with no better alternative it's workable but not great.