Forced gesture navigation

[Theot]

A guy at work got his Pixel 3 today. You cannot turn off the gesture navigation. Wanted to make sure anyone thinking about getting a Pixel 3 knew going in.

This is a deal breaker for me. Tried to use it on every beta and the official on my Pixel 2 and I just hate it and now they are forcing it. My guess is it's going to get forced on the older Pixel devices at some point. No thanks. I'm not spending $900 for that mess and I'm not going to have it forced on me if I don't upgrade either. I'll be looking for a different device from a different OEM. Sucks, I love my camera.

 

[TraderGary]

I'll be sorry to see you go, Theo. After using gesture navigation for a short time, I quickly adapted to it. I don't see why Google couldn't have had a preference option and simply left it up to the user.

 

[anon(1733)]

Not my favorite but I'm adapting. Only thing so far that does bug me is the swipe up on the home screen. I'll intended to go to the app drawer but it goes to recents and causes me to swipe again. However using the swipe up on any other screen to use the recents is very nice. Lol catch 22. I'll adapt to that. I did use gestures though on my iPhone X so I'm not exactly new to it.

 

[bhatech]

Personally I love gestures and even before it was on iPhone X and Android Pie I was using gestures via apps etc. I got used to it on Pixel 2 XL/Pie and so was a easy transition to Pixel 3 XL. I do agree gestures could be better, love it on iOS and some other Android OEMs are trying their own take so we will see how it turns out. Hopefully Google keeps taking feedback and keeps improving.

I also agree they could have provided some kind of option to people who don't like. Or even hide it in developer options if you don't want normal people to use it.

 

[anon(661246)]

oh wow, I thought the gestures were optional. not good Google

 

[Kalvin Kerns]

Google definitely should have made it optional. Makes no sense to go all in on something so radically different.

 

[mwboost]

People say you can adapt to it but I think it's garbage. With the nav buttons switching between apps, split screen, multitasking and whatever else was all there.
Now you need to swipe like this or swipe like that. Not a fan of how you access split screen on pie now either. To me there seems to be more steps involved to do things now.

 

[Theot]

I'll be sorry to see you go, Theo. After using gesture navigation for a short time, I quickly adapted to it. I don't see why Google couldn't have had a preference option and simply left it up to the user.

Well, I won't leave the forum and its not that I can't do it, I just don't like it. It doesn't feel well thought out and I don't care for the pixel launcher already so its even more broken on another launcher.

People say you can adapt to it but I think it's garbage. With the nav buttons switching between apps, split screen, multitasking and whatever else was all there.
Now you need to swipe like this or swipe like that. Not a fan of how you access split screen on pie now either. To me there seems to be more steps involved to do things now.

It is, its gestures just to have gestures and them forcing it is a real d*ck move in my opinion. I honestly hope it turns people off in the verizon stores and when sales are down they start looking at why.

 

[TheJastrom]

I think they should give the user the option, isn't that what Android is all about? At least it used to be, with Apple you were locked in but with Android there were so many options. It's kinda sad but I understand it. They want gestures to be their new thing but it's still annoying. I myself, switched over to gestures when I got Pie on my 2 XL right away and have never looked back but I can see how it would annoy people. The app drawer double swipe up is less than desirable.

 

[raqball]

I'd prefer the option to ax gestures but it's not a deal breaker for me...

 

[klau25]

My hope is they will make improvements on the gesture with later updates. Right now it's just ok. I'm used to it now, but definitely think it can be better.

 

[SteelGator]

I prefer the gestures now that I am used to them. Like others, I do hope there is a larger plan in place to make gesture navigation more complete and consistent throughout the OS.

 

[ctk4949]

Saying gestures is easier makes no sense, it requires so much more movement. Than just a simple tap!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[bkrickles]

The great thing about android is the flexibility and the options.
I understand that the crux of the complaints are about losing the buttons but you can solve virtually all the rest with a 3rd party launcher.
I love nova and will continue to use it (although I am experimenting with the new Hyperion launcher).
I can get rid of the double swipe up issue to get to app drawer and customize so many other things to my liking.
I've tried to like the pixel launcher on my 2xl with pie, but I just don't.
I'll have my 3xl in a couple of hours and nova will be my first installed app and then I'm off to the races.
Good luck to everyone.

 

[radgatt]

Google's gesture navigation does need improvement, for sure. I don't think that it is the end of the world with it. I do agree that they should have made it a choice vs making it mandatory for this phone, especially since it hasn't been around for a full year yet. They should have made it mandatory on the Pixel 4 because making it mandatory for this phone just feels too soon.

 

[Martin_F]

I think they should give the user the option, isn't that what Android is all about? At least it used to be, with Apple you were locked in but with Android there were so many options. It's kinda sad but I understand it. They want gestures to be their new thing but it's still annoying. I myself, switched over to gestures when I got Pie on my 2 XL right away and have never looked back but I can see how it would annoy people. The app drawer double swipe up is less than desirable.

As far as I have seen, you can swipe up farther to get to the app drawer instead of the double swipe.
So one motion, but farther up into the screen. Try if that works for you.

 

[Sooks]

Coming from an iPhone XS, the navigation feels like home! If you give it a couple days its pretty easy to get the hang of and works rather well.

 

[chezm]

Not used to gestures, coming from an iPhone 7+ and getting my P3 in November....I’m very much looking forward to the gestures as a radical change, time to start changing things up. If I’m not a fan oh well, I’m sure it’ll become second nature in a week

 

[Kayza]

As far as I have seen, you can swipe up farther to get to the app drawer instead of the double swipe.
So one motion, but farther up into the screen. Try if that works for you.

That's exactly how it works.

 

[Kayza]

...I’m very much looking forward to the gestures as a radical change, time to start changing things up. If I’m not a fan oh well, I’m sure it’ll become second nature in a week

And, worst case, you can always use a launcher.