There are rumors currently flying around the internet that suggest that Google will release Android 12 with a built-in one-handed mode feature. So, why exactly is that a big deal?
Well, if you own an iPhone or a high-end version of Samsung or Huawei phone, this news might not be such a big deal. However, the majority of other phones do not have a one-handed mode feature. Yet, a typical smartphone you will find with the average John and Jane Doe is at least 6-inches in size.
A 6-inched (and above) phone might be fun when you are reading a document, watching a movie, or doing some multitasking in its split-screen mode. However, it is not fun when you are typing a long document or engaged in a protracted chat with your friend or contact. If anything, that is how most people get their phone’s screen cracked or completely bricked, as it tends to slip out of your hand’s grip and falling down.
Android 12 One-Handed Mode
It is not a secret, big phones have become the trend. You only need to take a look at the fact that according to Apple, the 6.1-inched iPhone 12 is what they are calling a ‘mid-sized’ phone. That means phones are getting humongous.
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The more screen estate you have on your phone, the better the reading and viewing experience. Although, the typing and holding-the-device experience decline with the screen size increase. Well, according to a report by the XDA Developers, Google is working on including a one-handed mode feature in the open-source version of Android (AOSP).
That means that all OEMs releasing Android phones running Android 12 (and presumably later versions) will have this feature natively baked-in. Hence, you are not likely to find some smartphones having these features while others do not. They will all be created equal.
Currently, only select groups of OEMs (like Samsung and Huawei) do the extra work of building this feature into their phones. Even then, they do so only on a select number of their devices, not all of them.
And in other News: Android 12 comes with a Kill Switch for All Sensors
In the recent past, XDA Developers also released some screenshots purporting to be that of the upcoming Android 12. It is interesting to note that there appears to be a kill switch for all the phone’s sensors in the screenshots. In a nutshell, but just tapping on one toggle, you can turn off your camera, microphone, GPS, gyroscope, and just about everything except cellular connectivity.
This feature will be ideal for the high profiled individuals who attend top-secret meetings and events. Perhaps finally, Android could stop being bashed for being a less-than-perfect phone for high profiled individuals such as Presidents, Ambassadors, company CEOs, or even your spouse 🤔.
Security experts have always praised iPhones over Android whenever it comes to matters cybersecurity. Android inherent security flaws and the ability to kill all sensors at the one-tap of the screen could go a long way in allaying such fears.
It will also be quite ideal for company admins who want their staffers to maintain top-level secrecy. For one, the admin could disable the camera for all smartphones issued to employees for use within the company’s premises. That way, no employee can take a picture or a recording of sensitive company information and leak it outside.
Image Credit: XDADevelopers.com
