Android 12 is coming and will be unveiled in September if the usual launch timeline is to be maintained. Before then, Google rolls out betas and developer previews to shape the next major version of Android. The first Android 12 developer preview debuted a month ago, providing a showcase of some of the changes we should expect to see.
The second preview is out, too, and besides the myriad bug fixes, one notable feature that’s has been made available is a one-handed mode. One-handed mode, buried deep inside the first developer preview, provides users with a way to easily navigate their large-screen devices, as the name suggests, with just a single hand.
Now that it’s available in the settings app, early testers can activate the feature by swiping down near the display’s bottom. However, Google takes a different approach than what third-party OEMs like Samsung and Huawei have done in the past. Instead of shrinking the display towards the left or right bottom corner, Google reduces the display vertically. Sounds familiar? Right? Yes, because it’s the same as Apple’s ‘Reachability’ feature.
Here’s how it looks like;
Android 12 one-handed mode. Image Credit: Android Police
Google plans to roll out the first public beta as early as towards the end of April. If you’re eager to try out the developer preview, you can do so by flashing a device system image to a Pixel 3 / 3 XL, Pixel 3a / 3a XL, Pixel 4 / 4 XL, Pixel 4a / 4a 5G, or Pixel 5 or via the Android Emulator.
N/B: Keep in mind early versions of any software are often unstable. With that said, it’s not a smart move to run the Android 12 developer preview versions on your primary device.
You can read more about the second Android 12 developer preview here. Most of the details concern under the hood changes to help developers prepare their apps for the upcoming Android API. Google will reveal the juicy information that’s in for the end-users at its annual I/O event, typically held around the middle of the year.
Read Next: Android 12 First Developer Preview is Out – Here what’s new.