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SideSqueeze brings Pixel 2-like squeeze gestures to your Galaxy S8 or Note 8
- The Pixel 2 and HTCU11 both let users perform an action by squeezing the sides of their phone.
- A new app called SideSqueeze brings this feature to the Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8.
- In theory, the app could come to any water-resistant phone that also has a barometric pressure sensor.
One neat feature found on the Pixel 2 and the HTC U11 is the ability to perform an action by squeezing the sides of your phone. While this feature was previously exclusive to these two phones, a new app called SideSqueeze is bringing it to any device that is water resistant and has a barometric pressure sensor. Well, sort of.
For right now, SideSqueeze has only been tested on the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8, though the developer says that other water-resistant devices may work.
If you do have a phone that works with SideSqueeze though, you’ll have access to plenty of customization options. You can choose which action you want a squeeze to perform, such as switching to the last app, going back to the home screen, pausing media, turning on Wi-Fi, or simply setting it to launch certain apps like Spotify or Google Assistant.
You can also program SideSqueeze to perform different actions depending on whether the screen is on, off, or on the lock screen. Finally, you can adjust how much pressure needs to be applied to set off the task.
The app is free to download and use, although if you want to use SideSqueeze when the lock screen is on, you will have to sign up for the full version. One thing to note is that the app does warn you not to press the sides of your phone too hard. After all, while the Pixel 2 and the HTCU11 where designed with this feature in mind, other phones weren’t. You don’t really know how your phone will stand up to repeated squeezes.
Have you tried it on your device? Let us know if it worked on not in the comments.