Google Testing Pixel Android 11 Double Tap Gestures For Launching Camera, Assistant
The gesture system was developed under the codename "Columbus" and is initiated by double-tapping on the back of the smartphone. Right now, these are the double tap gestures that are currently available with Columbus according to XDA-Developers:
- Dismiss timer
- Launch camera
- Launch Google Assistant
- Play/pause media
- Collapse status bar
- Silence incoming phone calls
- Snooze alarms
- Unpin notifications
- Perform a “user selected action”
What's interesting is that the gestures will be reportedly be available to Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL and newer devices. The original Pixel/Pixel XL are of course left out since support for those devices ended last year. The reason for the broad compatibility of the double tap gestures is that it makes use of existing hardware found in all modern smartphones: the gyroscope and the accelerometer. So far, the feature has been shown working on both a Pixel 2 XL and a Pixel 4 XL.
XDA-Developers has posted a number of videos showing the double tap gestures in action, including playing/pausing a video, opening the camera app, and invoking the Google Assistant. It's a small, but useful addition with Android 11, and we definitely wouldn't mind taking advantage of it in daily use.
