Google Pixel Update Rolling Out With Double-Tap and Lift-To-Wake

Google’s new Pixel smartphones received rave reviews at launch, but they also shipped without some much-wanted features found on their predecessors. Now, with an update pushed live for Canada owners today, the Pixel and Pixel XL have double-tap and raise-to-wake features. That way, you can tap two fingers on the device’s display to see alerts, or raise the phone to wake the screen and see notifications.

These features were present in one form or another on previous Google devices like the Nexus 6P. So they’re a welcome addition to the Pixel family, especially considering Apple just introduced raise-to-wake in iOS 10, and the Pixel is being positioned as the perfect Android alternative to Apple’s smartphone. It’s unclear when Google will release the features for US or international Pixel owners, but we can expect it some time soon.

To turn these features on, head over to the “Moves” section in the general settings panel. There you should find “Double-tap to check phone” and “Lift to check phone.” For those outside Canada interested in getting the features early, you can install a captured over-the-air zip file directly, though you’ll have to do a little extra work to ensure the update works on international and Verizon versions of the phone.