Google Pixel 2 Active Edge squeeze function detailed in code

Beck Diefenbach | Reuters

Sabrina Ellis, Director of Product Management at Google, speaks about the new Pixel phone during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco, California, U.S. October 4, 2016.

One possible interesting feature of Google’s upcoming Pixel 2 smartphone: You might be able to squeeze it to open apps.

Lines of code spotted by blog 9to5Google reference a new “Active Edge” setting that, with a squeeze gesture, can launch Google Assistant.

The thought of squeezing your smartphone might sound outlandish, but it shouldn’t.

Rumor has it HTC is building at least one of Google’s expected Pixel 2 smartphones (LG is apparently building a larger Pixel 2 XL.) HTC’s latest handset, the U11, allows users to squeeze the edges to launch applications such as the camera, Amazon Alexa and more. Different squeeze strengths can launch different apps, too.

If HTC really is building the phone — again, not outlandish since HTC built the current crop of Pixel smartphones — then Google would be smart to adopt the convenient and fun feature.

At the very least, it’s one we won’t see in the iPhone X.

Read the full report on 9to5Google.