The next functional update of Android 13 version QPR2 could afford to customize the shortcuts in the Lock Screenat least on Google Pixel smartphones: Mishaal Rahman of experand later colleagues from 9to5google managed to confirm the clues. Of course, these are code snippets for features not officially announced, so the information shouldn’t be taken for granted; but it is true that in general these predictions turn out to be correct.

Specifically, quite simply, there will be a new section in Settings > Display > Lock screen which will open an interface more or less similar to that for changing the background image, with the preview of the screen at the top and the various commands and links at the bottom. Sources report that among the options we will find:

• Flashlight activation/deactivation
• Camera aperture
• Opening QR code scanner
• And a couple of unspecified others.

 

To avoid accidental touches, the user will have to hold down the icons briefly. Apparently the idea is to expand the initiative also to third party producerswhich among other things will be able to change the list of links and the very mechanism of protection from unintentional activation.

It is worth noting that already custom interfaces from various manufacturers, including Samsung’s One UI 5.0 based on Android 13, allow you to customize this aspect of the lock screen. We have noticed a clear spread of this possibility after the arrival of iOS 16. Currently, Pixels only have two non-editable shortcuts – bottom left (smart home controls) and bottom right (Wallet on Pixel 7, list of saved cards on previous devices).