What you need to know
- Google has explained the reasons why it decided to switch to a fully gesture-based navigation method with Android Q in a new blog post.
- In its qualitative studies, Google found most users did not want to go back to 3-button navigation after a break-in period of 1-3 days.
- Users will still have the option of using the three-button navigation bar if they do not like the Android Q gestures.
Google released Android Q Beta 6 earlier this week, bringing further improvements to gesture navigation. Many users, including our very own Joe Maring, have so far not been very impressed with Android Q's gesture-based navigation method. The company has now responded to the whole controversy over the gesture navigation in a new post on the Android Developers Blog.
The biggest problem with the new navigation method is the Back gesture, which requires a user to swipe from the left or right edge of the display. While the gesture itself feels intuitive, it breaks the hamburger menu on most apps. Defending the Android Q gesture model, Google says only a small number of users swipe to open the app navigation drawer. The back button, according to Google, is used 50% more than even the Home button. Which is why, the company's developers decided to prioritize an intuitive back gesture over other less frequent navigation.
Both the Back and Home gestures on Android Q were designed to coincide with the most reachable areas of the screen for most people. The Android Q model, Google found, allows users to perform tasks that involved Home and Back faster than other models, including the classic 3-button navigation bar. However, Google admits that the Android Q model comes "at the cost of being able to quickly access Overview/Recent apps" and most users still consider buttons to be more ergonomic overall.
In order to standardize gesture navigation on all devices running Android Q, Google worked closely with several popular Android OEMs such as Samsung, Xiaomi, HMD Global, OPPO, OnePlus, Motorola, and LG. While gestures will be the default navigation method on Android Q, users will still find the option of continuing to use the three-button navigation bar, even on future Android devices.
Get More Pixel 3a
Google Pixel 3a
Have you listened to this week's Android Central Podcast?
Every week, the Android Central Podcast brings you the latest tech news, analysis and hot takes, with familiar co-hosts and special guests.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Review: The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) is a truly moving Alexa speaker
Amazon's most expensive Echo ever is also it's most advanced and ambitious. Read why we think it's worth splurging on.
Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) review: Amazon made its good buds even better
The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) are in some ways just an incremental upgrade over their predecessors, but in other ways, they are a huge improvement from the first generation. It's not often that a brand is able to fix basically every complaint I had from one version to the next, but that's pretty much what Amazon did with these earbuds.
Review: Amazon's new duo of Echo Dots are a roundabout success
Amazon's 4th Gen Echo Dots show off an entirely new look, featuring a soft, spherical design. We took a look at the Echo Dot with Clock (4th Gen) and Echo Dot (4th Gen) to see how much they've improved over the previous generation and let you know if we think you should buy them, and if so, which one you should go for.
Keep that gorgeous TCL 10L looking great with the best screen protectors
If you want a solid budget phone, the TCL 10L is an intriguing option with its unique display technology thanks to NXTVISION technology. With a display that looks this good on a phone that's this cheap, you'll want to make sure you get a screen protector and we've rounded up some of our favorites.