Android 14 will bring a host of new features, including the long-awaited back gesture improvement. And you can take advantage of it now.
Today, Android and iOS are more similar than ever, but Android still has an edge in one particular area: the back gesture. On iPhone it’s not stable at all, on Android it’s perfect. You can press the back button or swipe back to return to the previous page, app, or screen each time. Today, this gesture is changing and you can be among the first to enjoy this new version.
Rollback to Android is already perfect, but…
Why change if it works so well? While this gesture is really perfect for going back to what you were doing just before on your phone, it can cause problems when you can’t remember what you did. For most Android users, the back gesture is convenient, but it can lead you into the unknown. In Android 14, Google is going to give you some context before sending you there. Android 14 Developer Preview 2 has a “predictive back gesture”which gives you a preview of where you’ll go if you complete the gesture. If you need to go back to the page you will see it, but if you need to go to another application you will see the window pop up slowly. Moreover,
How to use this new gesture right now
Of course, Android 14 is not officially available yet. Some don’t even have Android 13, for that matter. To test this new gesture, you’ll need to install the latest Android 14 Developer Preview on your Pixel 4a 5G or later.
Unlike Apple’s developer-only betas, which require a paid developer account, anyone can install the developer preview on a compatible Pixel device. However, as with any beta software, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure you have a recent backup of your data, as the problem could cause you to wipe the contents of your phone.
The developer previews are also a bit harder to install than the standard versions, but Android Police has a detailed and easy guide on how to install the developer preview on your Pixel. Once installed, you will find this new smart back gesture in “developer options”in your phone’s settings.