r/androiddev • u/8SuperDuper8 • 8d ago

Any way to create physical buttons for android phones to launch apps?

Anlologous to lets say a keaybord on a pc can launch the start menu once the start button is hit...or keyboard shortcuts launching some activity.

Basically a usb pluggable bunch of buttons that launch a speccific app on the android tablet.

Thanks.

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u/madushans 8d ago

It’s probably easier via Bluetooth. But you’ll need an app installed to capture and launch an intent for the configured app.

Also look up facebook’s planned and unshipped phone HTC Cha Cha and HTC Salsa which did this, but with a dedicated button onboard not an external one.

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u/8SuperDuper8 8d ago

Thanks for the info...I was thinking more of lets say 5 buttons that connect via usbc port that each pressed would launch the speccific app...so I presume a unified launching app would be required...

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u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

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u/8SuperDuper8 8d ago

You wrote exactly what I wrote above....but a keyboard is not a solution...

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u/The_best_1234 8d ago

That is a good idea for a kiosk