DeX gets a major makeover in One UI 8, with Samsung focusing on the Android desktop.
Samsung takes a different approach with DeX in One UI 8. DeX allows users to transform their Galaxy phone or tablet into a PC. The familiar “classic” desktop experience disappears, making way for a new version based on Google’s own desktop mode for Android. For now, this feels like a step back, as many basic functions are missing, but according to Samsung, this is the right step in the long run.
Collaboration with Google
Since the introduction of DeX in 2017, Samsung built its own desktop interface on top of Android, as noted by Android Authority. Because Android did not have a desktop mode at the time, Samsung had to make deep changes to the core of the operating system. As a result, DeX always remained a niche solution but never a full-fledged PC replacement.
That is now changing. Google is working on its own Desktop Mode for Android, with freely movable windows, a taskbar, and support for external displays. This builds on the foundations of Samsung DeX and was developed in collaboration with Samsung.
One Desktop Vision for Android
By no longer supporting its own version of DeX, Samsung avoids double development costs and compatibility issues. This ensures that Samsung DeX inherits the new features and improvements that Google will implement in the coming years.