Android Desktop just got a casting upgrade, but here is why I don’t think it’s Aluminium OS

Google is continuing its steady march to make Android more capable on big screens. In the latest Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1, spotted by Android Authority, a cool new feature has appeared: the ability to cast content directly from an external display.

Previously, if you plugged your Pixel into a monitor to use Desktop Mode, you could record that screen, but you couldn’t cast it. Now, the “Cast your screen” dialog lets you select that external monitor as the source, beaming your desktop environment to a TV or Chromecast while keeping your phone screen free.

This looks like yet another great productivity tweak for Android Desktop! It fits perfectly into Google’s “Better Together” strategy, making your devices play nicely with whatever hardware is around you.

The “Aluminium OS” Confusion

However, seeing these desktop-style improvements hit Android 16 naturally leads to the big question: Is this “Aluminium OS”?

If you’ve been following the rumors, you know Google is working on a massive project codenamed Aluminium OS—a new operating system that is expected to merge the best of Android and ChromeOS into a PC platform. Because of that, it’s tempting to look at every “Desktop Mode” update in Android 16 and think, “This is a sneak peek at the new laptop OS!”

It seems like Android Desktop is about making your phone more versatile. It’s for the person who wants to plug their phone into a monitor in a pinch. The goal here isn’t to replace your laptop; it’s to make your phone a better “bridge” device. The features are additive—casting, windowing, and mouse support make the phone experience richer.

Aluminium OS, on the other hand, is likely a dedicated OS built from the ground up for laptops and tablets. While it will almost certainly share the same underlying tech, it will hopefully be a “computer-first” operating system, not a “mobile-first” interface.

So for now, I think we should see this for what it is: a cool feature that makes your phone a little more powerful in a pinch, not a preview of the next generation of Google laptops. But what are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!