The first Android 12 Developer Preview was released last week and according to XDA’s Mishaal Rahman, it carries a hidden UI that is similar to Samsung’s One UI. For those unfamiliar with One UI, the software is designed to bring interface elements like buttons, toggles, check boxes, icons, sliders, progress bars and more closer to the bottom of the screen. This way, users won’t have to perform calisthenics with their fingers in order to tap one of these elements in the upper reaches of the display.
A tweet from @ThatJoeHindy reveals that by enabling a hidden “Silky home” feature flag, a new Settings UI surfaces with elements placed near the bottom of the display. Go to adb shell settings put global settings_silky_home true. The version of the UI with the flag enabled has the content moved lower toward the bottom of the display in order to make one-handed use possible.
The Android 12 UI without the flag enabled
There is no guarantee that the “Silky home” mode will be part of the stable version of Android 12. More exciting though is the possibility that catering to a larger-sized Android screen like this feature does, is a sign that Google is going to be offering a Pixel 6 XL model this year. So far there is no indication that this is in the cards, and there are other large-screened Android phones that could use a UI with more reachable elements. But many of these are Samsung models already served by Samsung’s One UI. Eliminate Samsung from the equation and the odds improve in favor of a Pixel 6 XL.
With the flag enabled, Android 12’s setting UI looks like Samsung’s One UI
