Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL are officially hitting the market next Thursday but first versions have already arrived in the hands of hard-working developers which helped make them a reality. One of them is a Reddit user “TCATS5986” who was previously confirmed as one of the people who worked on the kernel for the Pixel phones. Developing the very core of an operating system, something that’s responsible for resource allocation of the entire OS is no mean feat, so let’s not be jealous because this guy got his Pixel phone before we did. Instead, let’s just be happy that he took the time to answer some questions about the device on Reddit and shared some great news with us.
More specifically, it seems that both the Google Pixel and the Pixel XL will be receiving the so-called “double tap to wake” feature in the very near future. In other words, users will be able to turn them on simply by double tapping on their screen, which is a principle that most LG and some Nexus users are already familiar with. The feature won’t be available immediately upon launch but will roll out as a part of one of the upcoming kernel updates. More specifically, the double tap to wake mechanism works only if the kernel is able to power down the display of the device while keeping the digitizer—the thing that turns analog signals into digital—powered on. The initial version of the Pixel kernel isn’t capable of doing that but the aforementioned source stated that it will be. While no specific time frames were given, it was implied that the kernel update will be available shortly after both devices hit the market later this month.
In any case, this is great news for all future Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners because a double tap to wake feature is a fantastic option to have when your device has a rear fingerprint scanner, not to mention how convenient it is to wake your device by tapping on it in comparison to trying to press the side power button while the phone is resting on some surface.