It seems like Google is finally bringing over a feature that many of us have been requesting for a long time. Based on the latest information shared by Mishaal Rahman for Android Authority, Google will allow you to double-tap the Pixel’s display in order to turn it off… in the near future. So Google is finally adding a feature that other Android phones have had for years.
Google is finally planning to add a feature other Android phones have had for years
This is a feature that many other Android smartphones offer at this point. The vast majority of other major brands offer this feature, and many of the not-so-well-known ones as well. People are very used to using this gesture, including me. So it’s nice to see that it’s coming.
The evidence of this change was spotted in the latest Android 16 beta. It’s not yet available for users, but it could make its way to the stable version of Android 16. Either way, Google is working on it.
There’s evidence, in the latest Android 16 beta, that Google is adding a gesture that will allow you to turn off the screen with a double tap on the lock screen. This will also make the experience more cohesive.
This will make the experience of using a Pixel more cohesive
Why more cohesive? Well, at the moment, you can double-tap your Pixel’s display in order to turn it on. So you can do that in order to check your messages on the lock screen, for example. The thing is, you cannot do the same to turn it off. You have to either wait for it to turn off itself, or tap the power key.
At this point in time, this is truly a basic feature for many Android smartphone OEMs. It’s something that many people expect on their smartphones, as OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, and many other companies offer it. Google is a bit late to this party, but it’s nice to see that the company is catching up.
This feature could be available from the get-go on Android 16, or arrive via one of the quarterly Pixel Drop updates… if Google doesn’t opt to abandon it altogether, which is not as likely.
