I've gotten my hopes up the last couple updates, seeing code that would indicate improvements, but the actual practical experience has gotten WAY WORSE over the last two years.
Desktop modes are a huge perk, so I hope this is the year Google fixes this.
Phones are so ridiculously powerful now, they vastly outpace the actual compute power most families need for daily needs. The only thing holding us back is getting that performance out to devices and accessories to better USE that power.
If we can get a more usable platform for a desktop UI, devs might take apps for mobile and mixed use more seriously.