New controls for Android smartphones: no hands, no voice

Until now, Android smartphones can be controlled in two ways: by hand or by voice. In the future, however, there will be another possibility, as it is now known. The new feature is aimed at a very specific target group and aims to make their lives easier.

Many disabled or physically handicapped people are largely excluded from the blessings of the modern world of smartphones. So-called “operating aids”, with which the mobile phone can be controlled by voice, for example, should help here. Apparently Google is working on a completely new form of control in relation to Android 12 (source: Developer XDA)

Android smartphones can be controlled with facial expressions

Along with the latest beta version of the operating system, a new version of the “Android Accessibility Tools” application was also developed that is compatible with Control your smartphone using facial expressions permitted. An open mouth could, for example, open the quick settings, a raised eyebrow switch to the home screen, etc.

This feature could make the control much more convenient for many disabled people, even if the range of functions seems to be quite limited so far. According to XDA, developers can currently controls 14 actions on the smartphone with facial expressions. This screenshot shows what the settings look like within the Android app:

In this Video Introducing the many innovations in Android 12:

The app should also be backward compatible up to Android 11

The new version of “Android Accessibility Tools” is not yet available on the Google Play Store, but the APK file can be downloaded from APK Mirror (for Mirror APK). Along with Android 12, the new version of the application could be officially presented in late summer. According to XDA experts, the The app is also backward compatible so that owners of smartphones with Android 11 can also use them.