Android 12: Google may bring one-handed mode but it might be too late

Android 12 can finally bring one-handed use this year. The search giant is reportedly developing the mode into the AOSP (Android Open Source Project).

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Feb 16 2021, 12:54 IST

Over the past few years we have seen smartphone makers launching handsets with bigger screens. The norm has changed from 5-inch to 6-inch in the past 3-4 years and there seems to be no going back now. Some OEMs have also tried launching compact sized phones but have not been able to keep the series alive for long. This is mainly because with a larger screen, users can now see more content and do better multi-tasking. Videos and games have also become more immersive. But one of the biggest problems people face with a large screen is one-handed use. While some Android OEMs have implemented their own solution baked inside the UI, Google has not yet brought native support for this in its Android. However, with Android 12 things might change.

Also read: Android 12 to bring improvements in PiP mode, new animations for bubbles

As reported by XDA Developers, Android 12 can finally bring one-handed use this year. The search giant is reportedly developing the mode into the AOSP (Android Open Source Project). It is not for sure if Google plans to make this inclusion mandatory for all the OEMs going forward. But it will sure save time for handset makers in working on their own one-hand use feature. The report adds that there might be a way to trigger this mode using the traditional 3-button mode. For now, it is planned to be added to Settings > System > Gesture > One-Handed.

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It will be interesting to know if OEMs chose to use Google's own version since they already have their own version of one-handed mode baked in smartphones since years.

It is worth adding that Google is not just bringing this feature long after OEMs have made their own version, it is doing the same with scrolling screenshots feature that is said to come in Android 12 later this year.

Whatever the case might be, we will soon know since Google is expected to drop its first developer preview of Android 12 later this month or by next month.