Skip to main content

Squeeze for actions in your apps with HTC’s Edge Sense update

HTC Edge Sense photo zoom
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
The idea of a squeezable smartphone has been around in concept form for a few years, so we were excited to try it out when HTC made it a reality in the form of Edge Sense for its flagship U11. Though some have written it off as a gimmick, in our HTC U11 review we found Edge Sense refreshingly different and quite useful at times. By squeezing the sides of the phone, you can quick launch the camera and snap a shot, bring Google Assistant to life, or turn on the flashlight. But HTC has just opened up a new world of possibilities with an Edge Sense update that allows you to trigger different actions within any app or game with short and long squeezes.

It’s easy to set up. Simply head into Settings > Edge Sense and, if you have the update, you’ll get a pop-up message informing you. There are a few new possibilities listed that you can tick to try, such as short squeeze to zoom in Google Maps or take a photo in Facebook. Scroll to the bottom and you can tap Add more in-app options. This creates a wee floating button on screen and you can pick the app you want to set a trigger for from the list. Choose Short squeeze or Squeeze & hold, then the app or game will load up and you can tap the finger icon, then tap on screen to add the action.

Before you get too excited, there are some limitations here. Your basic choice of triggers is tap or double-tap anywhere on screen. Our initial thought of using squeeze to scroll down in Twitter was quickly shot down, but we were able to map a short squeeze to home, making it easy to get back to the top and see new tweets after scrolling. It also works very well as a zoom function. Instead of double tap in Photos or Google Maps, you can squeeze and zoom in without having to touch the screen and cover what you’re looking at.

Recommended Videos

We’re in the habit of turning off Edge Sense when playing games like Super Mario Run, because we quickly found out that any tricky sections were prompting us to squeeze the sides of our phone and, since we had Edge Sense set to launch the camera, that proved to be a problem. Could this update overcome the issue? Sadly, the answer is no. We set the Edge Sense to trigger Mario to jump with a squeeze, but there’s a slight delay and it doesn’t allow for the variation in lengths of tap which dictate how high you jump in the game. The result was several quick deaths for our favorite Italian plumber.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The idea is solid, though. If you have a game where a simple tap or double tap performs a consistent action, then you can use the squeeze to trigger it — a simpler endless runner, like Canabalt, for example. Although, we must point out that there is a slight delay, which means you’ll need to tweak your timing.

Overall, the new Edge Sense functionality is a welcome addition to an innovative feature and it introduces lots of new possibilities to make better use of those squeezable sides. It’s only available on the HTC U11 right now, and the Edge Sense update will start rolling out for free from midnight ET on Friday. Check out our HTC U11 tips and tricks to find out what else you can do with HTC’s flagship phone.

Simon Hill
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Simon Hill is an experienced technology journalist and editor who loves all things tech. He is currently the Associate Mobile…
Chase’s latest move will help cut fraud, but Zelle users may not like it
Zelle

Chase Bank will be blocking Zelle payments to sellers on social media platforms and messaging apps starting March 23.

The banking company updated its user policy on Monday (via Bleeding Computer) to warn Zelle users that it will delay, decline, and/or block payments made through social media in an effort to protect consumers from online scams and fraud. It wrote that the popular payment is meant to send money to people users know, not other people they meet on social media -- which, unfortunately, includes those selling goods on Instagram and TikTok, among other platforms.

Read more
It’s finally over for Humane’s AI Pin — here’s who can get a refund
The Humane Ai Pin.

Humane has ended sales of the AI Pin, one of the most poorly received gadgets of recent years. It's also ending AI Pin connectivity and services in just 10 days' time, effectively bricking it for those who bought it.

In an announcement on its website on Tuesday, Humane said the changes are coming about after HP offered to acquire its assets. The deal is worth $116 million, according to a Bloomberg report, though Humane has not confirmed this detail. The same news outlet reported last year that Humane was seeking between $750 million to $1 billion from a prospective buyer.

Read more
Pixel 9a just leaked entirely, and it’s a better bargain than the iPhone SE 4
Google Pixel 9a Peony pink leaked image.

Google's Pixel A series has been a template for good affordable phones and has upheld this responsibility consistently -- and much better than the flagship Pixel phones -- since the Pixel 3a's launch almost six years ago. This year, the Pixel 9a could bring some sizable upgrades to the last generation and a sleeker design without breaching the previously attractive price point. The latest leak uncovers the Pixel 9a fully and suggests it might be a more compelling purchase than the soon-to-launch iPhone SE 4.

The Pixel 9a has been generously leaked by WinFuture, revealing the entirety of the upcoming budget phone. That includes digital renders at different angles and in all previously leaked colors.

Read more