Want to experience HTC One (M8)'s Motion Launch gestures on any OLED Android device? Try Knockr

HTC's flagship for this year, the One (M8), came with the latest version of Sense UI, 6.0, which was playfully dubbed ''Sixth Sense''. Apart from its cleaner, flatter visuals and on-screen buttons, Sense 6.0 also introduced Motion Launch gestures – a rather useful addition to the functionality of the interface. What Motion Launch does is simple, yet most welcome – when the One (M8)'s screen is off, the user can wake the device up with a simple double tap, navigate to a certain app with a swipe, or launch the camera with the aid of the volume buttons. So far, so good!

As appealing as it may seem to some users, it's obvious that you need an HTC One (M8) in order to treat yourself to the Motion Launch perks – rather unfortunate for all those that sport a different device. Luckily, XDA has come to the rescue – enter Knockr. Developed by Acela1230, this app emulates most of Motion Launch's traits on your Android smartphone by keeping your screen turned on even when your device is locked and asleep.

But wait... Won't this drain the battery like crazy, making the app virtually unusable in our daily lives? Well, normally it would, but there is a catch – Knockr is only compatible with devices that rock an OLED display. The app actually displays a completely black image, which keeps the display turned on so that it can register a touch input from the user. As you probably know, the amount of power OLED displays use when displaying a black image is next to nothing, because the pixels are actually turned off.

So, what does Knockr have in tow for us? Just like HTC's Motion Launch gestures and LG's Knock Code, Knockr allows you to wake your device by tapping twice on the screen when it's off. You can also define what apps to launch when you swipe up, down, left, or right, which is something you can't do in HTC's Motion Launch. Knockr also allows you to rotate your device and press the volume rocker to quickly open the camera app, similar to the way you can do it on the One (M8).

Knockr also makes use of your device's proximity sensor in order to avoid accidental unlocks when your device is in, say, your pocket or face down.

The app is still in beta and some users report that they are experiencing certain issues with it. Although it still needs some polishing, Knockr is one of the ways to experience Sense 6.0's gesture traits on your Android OLED smartphone. The app is free, so if it sounds like your thing, go ahead and give it a try.

Download: Knockr (Android)


source: XDA (1), (2)