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Android Q Beta 5: Helpful prompts appear on Pixel when using Assistant gestures, ‘Active Edge’

Gestures are the clear focus of Android Q Beta 5, and Google Assistant sees a lot of attention in this update as well. One subtle change Android Q makes is to show new instructive prompts when a user starts to open the Assistant either with a gesture or the Pixel’s Active Edge feature.

Blink and you’ll miss it, but these new instructive prompts appear when you start to open the Assistant either through a gesture or through the Active Edge feature on Pixel smartphones starting with Android Q Beta 5.

The prompts are meant to help users clearly see when they are on the right track to open the Assistant. It’s probably safe to assume that this goes hand-in-hand with the new “handles,” as long-pressing one offers up the prompt. When using Active Edge to launch the Assistant, this prompt reads “Squeeze to talk.” Alternatively, when using the swipe gesture, the text says “Swipe to talk.”

While I think the squeeze prompt won’t be seen all that often, the gesture one will probably be good for those who don’t know what the new “handles” are for, especially considering those will likely be seen by default on future Pixel devices.

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