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This wild ‘Atomic Workbench’ feature lets you run five Android apps at once [Video]

Split-screen multitasking has been a part of Android for years, but new form factors have led to some brands coming up with unique ways to build on that idea. With its new “Atomic Workbench,” Vivo wants to let you use up to five Android apps at once on its new foldable.

Coming to the Vivo X Fold 5 when it launches, the “Atomic Workbench” is a new multitasking feature in the same vein as Open Canvas on OnePlus devices. The feature allows for one app to take up a large portion of the display, while also running four other apps on top of it.

Tapping another app switches that to take up most of the display, with everything else shifting to another part of the display. When not the focus, apps don’t stop running, they’re just shown in a smaller window. You can see how this might be useful in some cases, like in games that have a period where you have to just sit and wait.

It’s a crazy idea, and one that probably has limited application in real life, but it’s also really cool.

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Vivo shows off how it works in a video posted to Weibo:

Vivo X Fold 5 will be launching on June 25, but it’s unclear how widely it will be available.

Would you use something like this?

More on Android:

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Avatar for Ben Schoon Ben Schoon

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

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