Android P to support iPhone X-like gesture navigation control
Google's upcoming operating system Android P will reportedly support iPhone X-style gesture navigation. Unlike the traditional set of Back button, circular Home button, and squared Recent Apps button, the new navigation bar will now have a hollowed, triangular Back button, a pill-shaped Home button, and no Recent Apps option at all. This all-new home button will supposedly enable gesture control on Android P devices.
The news came after Google itself unintentionally leaked the new navigation bar. It put out an official blogpost to highlight the availability of a Private DNS mode on the first Android P Developer Preview release. Along with showcasing the DNS settings in a screenshot, the image also captured the new navigation bar. However, Google has since cropped the screenshot to hide the new controls.
It's gesture navigation 100% per my source.
— Stephen Hall (@hallstephenj) April 13, 2018
The Back button only appears when a dialog box is open and is otherwise hidden. In the Google screenshot, a dialog box is open which is why the Back button is visible. If you imagine the pill-shaped Home button as a gesture indicator without the presence of the Back and Recent Apps button, you will get a look-alike of iPhone X's gesture navigation system.
Since Android smartphones are increasingly resembling the iPhone X in look and design, the upcoming Android P OS will also be optimized for notches and multi-camera setups. It will also prevent background apps from accessing a device's camera and microphone.
