Multi-Window Feature: How To Get It On Galaxy S2 Running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

The all new Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update has brought a number of exciting features to both Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S3. One of those new features is the useful multi-window mode that lets the users run two applications simultaneously.

(Photo: XDA Developers)
Although the new multi-window mode doesn’t support older devices, the Android developer community has managed to figure out a way that makes this handy feature available for the Samsung Galaxy S2.

Although the new multi-window mode doesn’t support the older devices, the Android developer community has managed to figure out a way that makes this handy feature available for Samsung Galaxy S2.

Thanks to XDA Developers Senior Member mythtrandyr, the users of Galaxy S2 can now get the multi-window mode on their devices in a couple of ways. One way is considered the “clean” method while the other one is perceived as the “dirty” method.

The second method is the one that is required to decompile the SecSettings.apk, service.jar and android.policy.jar files to apply the appropriate mods.

On the other hand, the “clean” method is much simpler than the “dirty” one. It involves a simple flash. The only requirement is that Galaxy S2 must be running a deodexed ROM based on XXLSJ, which is nothing but the Android 4.1.2.

“Simply flash in recovery with the customary cache and Dalvik wipes to get it running. Once completed, you’ll have the full multi-window functionality, and you can add as many apps as you’d like,” reads a post at XDA Developers.

Apart from the multi-window feature, the tweak in question gives some more additional features to your Galaxy S2, such as:

- 4 icons shortcut on lockscreen

- ripple lockscreen

- Skip songs with volume rocker

- No homebutton lag

- 4-Way Reboot

For more information on both the methods, click on the respective links – the hands-on method / the easy method.

Originally introduced with the Galaxy Note 10.1 and then with the Galaxy Note 2, the multi-window feature enables the users to run two apps on the same screen at the same time with a bar tearing the screen in half. The users can interact with both the apps separately. This is what that differentiate between the multi-window mod and multitasking for iOS where apps run in the background and users only have control over one app at a time.