Android 16 can separate notifications from the quick settings panel

Google has been found to be experimenting with a new approach that would separate these two features. The notification panel will still be accessible with a single swipe down from the status bar, but it will no longer take up the entire screen, allowing users to see the app they are currently using, similar to how it worked before Android 12.

The most noticeable change is in the way users access the quick settings panel. Instead of swiping down a second time, users must now swipe with two fingers. This change may meet with resistance from users who are used to the current one-swipe access.

It's important to note that the design is still in its early stages and may be further refined before the final release, but it's clear that Google is considering a major overhaul of these core Android features.

This move to separate panels could improve the user experience by allowing clearer distinctions between notifications and quick settings. The return of the split-screen notification panel could also improve multitasking capabilities. However, the two-finger swipe feature for quick settings could prove to be a controversial change.

As Android 16 develops, we'll likely get more insight into the final design and functionality of these revamped panels. It's also possible that it's still nearly a year before we see the Android 16 beta, and that many changes are still pending as Google refines the UI. It remains to be seen how users will react to these changes, but it's clear that Google is committed to evolving and improving the Android UI.