What it’s essential to know
- Android 14 Beta 3 accommodates code that means it is possible for you to to assign completely different features to the buttons in your stylus.
- This function may grow to be accessible on the Pixel Pill, which helps USI 2.0 styluses.
- The potential function may additionally allow you to set a default note-taking app when connecting a stylus to an Android 14-based gadget.
Google rolled out the third Android 14 beta a number of days in the past, fixing a ton of bug fixes for Pixel telephones. However maybe the extra thrilling repair that the platform is prone to lastly deliver to shoppers is richer stylus help, starting with the Pixel Pill.
Mishaal Rahman has found a brand new code in Android 14 Beta 3 that hints at a number of main enhancements to the way in which the OS handles styluses. The subsequent-generation Android model may enhance the customers’ stylus expertise with a number of nifty capabilities, together with help for a number of buttons on a stylus.
Though the API diff is not up but, I noticed new key code constants within the KeyEvent documentation: KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_PRIMARY, KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_SECONDARY, KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_TERTIARY, and KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_TAIL.Respectively, these discuss with the first button on… pic.twitter.com/OoNPygyAU9June 8, 2023
In keeping with Rahman, Android 14’s newest beta means that customers may have the choice to tell apart the features of these buttons, together with the first, secondary, tertiary, and tail buttons. The tail button sometimes features as an eraser, as with lots of our favourite E Ink tablets.
Nonetheless, the brand new function that’s apparently being thought-about for Android 14 would enable customers to assign sure actions to the tail button on their stylus, equivalent to launching your default note-taking app. This was hinted at by code discovered by Rahman, who demonstrated that it is attainable to vary the “default notes app.”
This selection is seen within the new stylus-specific settings that seem when connecting a stylus to your gadget on Android 14. Moreover, there’s an choice to ignore all stylus button presses.
There may be hypothesis that Google could launch this stylus help when the Pixel Pill hits retailer cabinets within the close to future. Though the pill made its debut with no first-party stylus, it did include help for the USI 2.0 stylus.
Moreover, earlier rumors claimed that the Pixel Pill would land with a stylus of its personal, although its improvement has been delayed (by way of Android Authority), which could clarify why the accent was a no-show finally month’s I/O convention. If that is appropriate, it stands to cause that Google is making ready these enhancements earlier than its pill is launched to the general public.
With the Pixel Pill, Google determined to take a special strategy. As a substitute of specializing in productiveness, this new gadget has the potential to rework the way in which you work together together with your sensible dwelling, amongst different issues.