Pixel phones finally getting a feature Samsung Galaxy owners have enjoyed for years

Google’s family of Pixel phones have proven popular with buyers for many reasons. Chief among them is the great camera experience, but the long software support and clean Android experience are what sees the Pixel gracing the best Android phone lists year after year.

However, while the Pixel has plenty of appeal, there are some basic things that it doesn’t do. While Google adds features on a regular basis, there’s always been more on the software side from a brand like Samsung. Case in point, on a Samsung phone you can double tap the screen to turn it on and to turn it off.

That’s also something that many brands offer – and it’s something that Google might be looking to add in the future. Thanks to a deep-dive into the Android 16 beta by Android Authority, Google’s plan to add this simple feature could have been uncovered.

While the gesture isn’t working at the moment, Android Authority managed to get it to function and it does exactly what you expect, so you can double tap the screen and turn it off.

It might sound like a minor point, but it’s a big convenience factor, especially if you’re using the double tap gesture to turn the screen on. Having to then press the power button to turn it off again is a bore, so life will get smoother if this minor change is made in Android 16.

Why does the double tap gesture matter?

Lots of people choose to use the always-on display on their phone, but there are equally many who don’t. If your display stays dark when you’re not using it, it not only saves battery life, but also protects your privacy – and when you’re with friends, your phone isn’t constantly showing notifications or lighting up.

The solution, often, is to just tap the screen twice so you can glance at the information. That will often be checking the time, but some people might also use that to glance at some notifications too, depending on how their phone is setup.

It makes sense, then, to just double tap to turn it off. It’s one of my favourite little details about using a Samsung phone that I miss when I’m using a Pixel. It’s also something I commonly do when working at a desk to table with my phone next to me.

Whether this feature will actually arrive with Android 16 remains to be seen because it’s not part of the Android 16 beta – but there’s every chance it could appear in a future Pixel Drop.