A Closer Look At Android 4.2's Quick Settings Menu And The Two-Finger Swipe To Open It Instantly

Back in early October while we were knee-deep in a pre-release Android 4.2 system dump, Ron found an interesting tidbit of info on a "quick settings" menu. Back then, it was a double pull down notification area that housed absolutely nothing of value. Thanks to today's Nexus/Android 4.2 announcements, however, we know not only what options the Quick Settings area will feature, but also how to really access it.

There are actually two ways to get into the QS menu, as highlighted by Hugo Barra in an incredible behind-the-scenes video put together by The Verge (see the full video here):

As you can see in the above clip, there will be a small toggle in the notification area directly beside the current Settings button, which, when pressed, will cause the notification area to do a neat little flip, revealing the Quick Setting area. It's pretty, and I like it. You should, too.

However, if the pull+tap combo is just too much work and you need to get into Quick Setting with hyperspeed, there's another way: the two-finger pulldown. Absolutely brilliant! It's clear that Google is really going to embrace gesture-type actions moving forward, and I, for one, welcome this. They're a nice, easy way to get more features while still retaining a clean, minimal interface.

I'm definitely looking forward to all the new goodies announced today. But for now, I'll be happy with an OTA. Quickly, please.