Android only offers one gesture for multiple actions. It goes back to what has been usable for a few years by swiping from the edge of the screen to the center of the screen. This can sometimes be confusing because apps interpret this gesture differently. In addition, it is never clear to the user in advance how the gesture will be interpreted.
Starting with Android 13, Google is revising the back gesture and taking app developers by the hand
Google has also recognized that this topic needs to be tackled anew. Although the gesture basically retains its functionality, it should still be easier to understand for the user. With Android 13, Google introduces new animations for the back gesture to show what it’s about to do. There are three possibilities of what can happen.
Back to the future! Navigating back is a quintessential part of the Android experience. We’re adding novel framework/APIs so users can preview the destination of the back gesture. App developers can begin working towards this starting in Android 13. https://t.co/9soGtJgAHJ pic.twitter.com/PQ8kgCywiD
— Dave Burke (@davey_burke) June 10, 2022
New interfaces and animations should optimize the behavior of the back gesture
Either you jump back a point in the open app. Or you jump back to the app that was previously open. And last but not least, the back gesture can also ensure that you simply land on the home screen. To make this more apparent, with Android 13, Google is introducing new animations and interfaces for app developers.
There was also a complete session on the Google I/O. For Android developers, the topic has become very important. And yes, it’s a small detail that is very important in the everyday use of Android with gesture control.
Unfortunately, it will be a while before the new back gesture works across the board, as Google showed us here. On the one hand, Android 13 is definitely needed for this , on the other hand, the countless app developers have to play their part.