When Google unveiled Android Pie last year, it introduced new navigation gestures that were very similar to what Apple did in iOS 11 for the iPhone X. The iPhone without a home button needed a new set of gestures that would allow users to return to the home screen, open the multitasking panel, and quit apps.
Unlike iOS, which required the new gestures, Android would have worked perfectly fine without the changes. After all, Google has kept the three-button menu in place on Android for years, even on devices that didn't have physical home buttons. But this year, Google will be further refining the navigation gestures, it was revealed, which will make Android Q devices behave more or less like the iPhone.
Many people have rightly pointed out that Apple's implementation of gestures is nothing new, as it closely resembles what was available for the long-dead webOS mobile platform. But that doesn't change the fact that Google seems interested in following in Apple's footsteps once the iPhone X was released. And, according to findings from XDA Developers, Google's new gestures will give Android Q a more iPhone-like gesture navigation.
The best thing about the new gestures, as seen in the video below, is the “back” button, which will be removed. You’ll still have the functionality: You just have to swipe left on the virtual button to go back. But the whole thing will look a lot more advanced than before. Instead of having an unsightly back button next to the home button, you’ll just get the button in the middle. Just like the iPhone.
Also, things are different in Android Q, at least based on what was leaked, as the transition from the current to the last app is smoother and more iPhone-like than before. The video below shows the differences between Android Pie and Android Q gestures:
However, there's no guarantee that Google will actually implement these new gestures in Android Q. The new operating system will likely be available to developers around March, before a public beta in May. The final version of Android Q will likely be available on Pixel devices this summer.
