Patent reveals Google looking into an entirely touch-sensitive Pixel

Google filed a patent with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) on April 3, advancing the Pixel Quick Tap functionality.

The patent, “Leveraging inactive touchpoints for gesture recognition and user interface configuration,” describes technology that can detect users’ gestures with presence-sensitive housing. This technology describes that users can tap on “any exterior location,” on the handset.

The patent describes some uses for this functionality.

Based on the identified gesture input, the computing device performs one or more actions such as adjusting a volume setting, scrubbing video playback, and modifying a graphical user interface of the computing device (e.g., portrait vs landscape mode, placement of elements within the graphical user interface, etc.), among other actions.

Google would also use machine learning to recognize false inputs, such as someone holding the device or changing their grip. Google indicates that the device could be a smartphone, but it could also apply this technology to tablets, laptops, smart speakers, ebooks, smartwatches and more.

I love little gimmicks like this. Pixel devices used to have fun features like this, such as the Pixel 2XL sporting squeeze gestures. Motorola handsets also sport Quick Tap, but you can draw letters to activate other features and more. Google bringing back features like this could be great and exciting.

This is only a patent, but I would love to see it on a future Pixel handset.

Source: WIPO,  Android Authority