Xiaomi Introduces Full Display Gestures In The New Beta Build Of MIUI 9
Xiaomi appears to be preparing its users for the future with the new beta build of MIUI 9. Ever since the iPhone X removed the home button, it has become increasingly inevitable that smartphones in the coming years will solely rely on gestures of navigation with the OS.
With the latest beta update, Xiaomi has added ‘full display gestures’ that appear to be inspired by the iPhone X a lot. For example, in order to reach the home screen, the user has to swipe up from the bottom of the screen while swiping from the bottom to the top and pausing for a second brings up your recent apps. Other gestures include swiping from the left or right of the screen to the middle to take the user to the previous page. Over the years, Xiaomi has taken “inspiration” for Apple for its platform. From the MIUI layout to “MiDrop,” the not-so-subtle hints have always been there. Being one of the first Android smartphone makers to shift to all display gestures similar to the iPhone X will only strengthen the previous argument.
Over the years, Android’s take on navigation within the OS has been different from that of iOS. While Android phones have had three navigation buttons, iOS has had a physical home button which solved multiple purposes like multitasking, invoking Siri and other gestures like swiping from the left or right of the screen to the middle to take the user to the previous page. So, when Apple introduced these gestures in the iPhone X, the transition was a lot smoother thanks to the presence of gestures in the past iPhones.
Android, on the other hand, has used the three buttons, the home, back and multitasking button for every little navigation within the OS. These have either been software buttons or physical buttons, with nowadays OEMs offering the choice of both the navigation systems. When Android does shift to only gestures, the transition for users might not be as natural and organic as it was for iOS users.
A few Xiaomi Mi 7 renders were leaked with conflicting reports. Some suggested that the device will have an in-display fingerprint sensor while the other report claimed that Xiaomi is working on an iPhone X-like Face ID system. One thing in common, however, was the all-screen design of the phone. Xiaomi phones have had on-display as well as physical and touch capacitive navigation buttons. Introducing navigation via gestures a few months before the launch of the Mi 7 might hint at an all display design of the Mi 7 and the company’s foray into gesture-based navigation with Android.
Xiaomi Mi 7 Renders
For now, users with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Mi Mix, Redmi 5, and Redmi 5 Plus can preview these gestures on their devices.
