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Since late 2021, Google has been working on making its apps and services better for larger screens. While it’s been going on for some time, we still see Google bringing changes and optimizations to its products, and Google Drive is the next app to get some love. According to Android Police, Google Drive is testing out a two-page view for larger screens.
These changes are to better optimize these apps for tablets and foldable phones. One tablet you’ll want to look into is the Google Pixel Tablet. This device is the first tablet from Google in several years, and it was one of the most exciting devices of the year. It has an incredible display, a Tensor G2 chip, and the latest Android software updates. Read our Google Pixel Tablet Review for more information on it.
Google Drive is testing a two-page view for larger screens
One hard lesson that Android tablet users had to learn over the years was that smartphone apps don’t often work on tablet screens. This is why Google is working to make Android a better platform for larger screens. Because of this, fundamental Google apps like Docs, Gmail, and others have been getting some major changes in order to make using them on a tablet easier.
Now, Google Drive is getting a new useful change. One thing to note is that this is a leak at the end of the day. You’ll want to take this news with a grain of salt. We’re talking about a beta test that’s going on. Thus, there’s a chance that Google will not push this to the app. Just keep that in mind.
@AssembleDebug spotted this in the latest beta build of the Google Drive app. In this version of the app, Google Drive will open documents in a side-by-side view. As it stands, when you open a document like a PDF file, it will just stretch one page across the screen in landscape mode. This makes it a pain to read.
Google Drive adds two page layout in document viewer for larger screens
With version – 2.23.407.1 (apkmirror) , you will be able to view your document in Google drive in a two page layout by tapping on a button given just before the three dot menu in the document viewer screen. pic.twitter.com/i8e8SAXZhe
— AssembleDebug (@AssembleDebug) October 13, 2023
However, after the change, it will show you two pages on the screen as though you’re reading a book. You’ll be able to swipe through them like you would in the Kindle app or Google Play Books.
What’s neat about this is that you don’t have to go through any hoops or enable any flags to try it out for yourself. You can just download the latest APK from APK Mirror to try it.