14 DAY TRIAL // Back taps seem to be the new cool thing in the mobile business, as everybody is currently working on bringing such functionality to their mobile devices.
It all started with Google, as evidence of the search giant developing a feature that would allow users to launch certain apps by simply tapping devices on the back were discovered in early 2020. Google internally codenamed the feature Columbus, but no information as to when such functionality could go live on Android phones was available at that point.
But of course, the next-generation Pixel is very likely to introduce it, especially as Apple is working on something similar for the iPhone too.
iOS 14, the iPhone software update due in September, will allow users to tap on the back of the smartphone to launch apps, activate the torch, or wake up Siri, and the whole thing works even when a case is on.
Xiaomi joining the party too
And now according to a report from XDA, Xiaomi is working on a similar feature that would be part of the MIUI 12 update. Called simply Back Tap, the feature would allow users to take a screenshot, turn on the torch, launch the control center, or start the camera.
The Back Tap feature will support multiple gestures, just like the iPhone, so these actions can be configured with double taps or triple taps.
Just like in the case of Google, there’s no ETA as to when Xiaomi is supposed to enable this feature on its phones, but the good news is that they’re coming. And by the looks of things, it’s now just a matter of time until everybody, and I really mean everybody, starts tapping their phones on the back to do things, regardless of whether they’re using Android or an iPhone.