Last month, Google the first Developer Preview of Android 11, where researchers discovered a set of new gesture controls codenamed Columbus. It was found that double-tapping the back of the device can launch Google Assistant, open the camera, and more. With Android 11 Developer Preview 2, the list of available gestures was further expanded.
Among other things, double-tapping will allow users to launch an overview of recently used apps and take a screenshot. It was expected that these new double-tap controls would be exclusive to the new Google Pixel smartphones. However, with the release of Android 11 Developer Preview 2, researchers found that the features work on Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 4, and Pixel 4 XL smartphones.
No additional hardware is required to use the new gesture controls. Instead, data from built-in sensors, such as the accelerometer and gyroscope, are used to determine when the user double-taps the back of the device. To reduce power consumption, the new commands have certain limitations that prevent accidental activation when the screen is off, the lock screen is active, or the camera is running. Researchers also discovered code that protects against false activations by using upper and lower frequency filters for the accelerometer and gyroscope. This is indicated by the appearance of several new classes in SystemUIGoogle.
The set of new Columbus gesture controls includes options for starting a timer and Google Assistant, controlling music playback, opening the camera, and more. Researchers note that while they were able to replicate these functions on some Google smartphones, including the Pixel 3a XL and Pixel 2 XL, there is no evidence that the new gestures will remain after the Android 11 platform becomes publicly available.
Source: 3dnews.ru
