Source: Android Central
What you need to know
- A new gesture code-named "Columbus" has been discovered in the Android 11 Developer Preview.
- "Columbus" allows you to double-tap the rear of the phone to perform actions such as, snoozing alarms, dismissing timers, playing/pausing media, and more.
- According to the code, it would be a Pixel exclusive feature.
In the past, we've seen different ways to interact with our phones physically using either gestures or specialized hardware. These have come in various forms, such as squeezable frames, dedicated buttons, double-tapping the display, motion sensors, and more. Now, with the release of the first developer preview of Android 11, a new gesture has been uncovered hidden in the code.
During their digging, XDA-Developers came across the new gesture code-named "Columbus," which allows you to double-tap the back of the phone to perform an action. So far, they have confirmed it works for dismissing timers, launching the camera, summoning Google Assistant, playing/pausing media, silencing calls, snoozing alarms, and more.
Source: XDA-Developers
One of the most exciting is "Performing a user selected action," which makes it sound like Google will allow you to customize the gesture to do almost any action. What makes this gesture even better is the fact that it doesn't require any specialized hardware. Technically, this could be enabled on any phone with a gyroscope and accelerometer.
As you can imagine, your phone experiences several taps and bumps throughout the day. That's why Google has some safeguards in place that will prevent the phone from misinterpreting these as the new double-tap shortcut. Some of these include camera visibility, charging status, keyguard, and more.
Unfortunately, according to the code, Google appears to want to keep this as a Pixel exclusive. It's possible we could see the "Columbus" gesture debut at Google I/O 2020 or in a future Pixel Feature Drop. However, that doesn't mean that it couldn't also make its way onto more Android phones in the future.
Top 10 features in Android 11 you need to know about right now
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

It finally happened — you can now get iMessage on Android
A new universal chat app called Beeper promises to finally bring iMessage to Android, Windows, and Linux platforms. The team behind the app includes Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky.

Ready for Android 11? Here's when your phone will get the latest update
There's a lot to look forward to with Android 11, but when will your phone actually get it? Here's everything we know!

Is 25W charging a deal-breaker for the Galaxy S21?
Wired charge speeds are limited to just 25W on the Galaxy S21 family. Is this a deal-breaker for you?

These are the best Galaxy S21 Ultra screen protectors that you can buy now
Now that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is here, it's time to get your accessories to keep it protected for as long as you own it. Since the Ultra features the largest display, it's important to keep your screen looking good, so you'll want to pick up one of these screen protectors.