According to Android Authority, Google may be reversing a controversial Quick Settings change it made back in 2021 with Android 12. The company replaced the separate, one-tap Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles with a single, expandable “Internet” tile. This change, intended to simplify the interface, actually made toggling these connections more tedious. Now, years later, internal code suggests Google is testing a return to the old, separate toggle design. This potential reversal is being eyed for a future update, possibly as part of the upcoming Android 16 release.
The Interface Backlash
Here’s the thing about simplifying interfaces: it often complicates them for power users. And that’s exactly what happened. What used to be a single tap to turn Wi-Fi on or off became a two-step process—tap the Internet tile, then tap the Wi-Fi toggle. It sounds minor, but when you’re in a rush or your connection is spotty, that extra step is infuriating. It felt like a solution in search of a problem. Was anyone really confused by having two separate buttons? Probably not. So this potential rollback feels like a quiet admission that the “simplification” was a misstep. It’s a rare case of Google listening to years of consistent user grumbling.
Strategy and Timing
So why now? Android 16 is the obvious candidate for a visual overhaul like this. It’s a major version update, which is the perfect time to reintroduce a familiar feature as a “new” improvement. The beneficiaries are clear: every Android user who’s ever fumbled with that tile. But there‘s a bigger picture here. This move signals a slight shift back towards utility over minimalism. For years, Android’s design philosophy has been about clean lines and hiding complexity. But sometimes, utility *is* the best design. Putting core functions one tap away isn’t clutter; it’s efficiency. If this leak is true, it’s a small but meaningful win for user feedback over pure design dogma.
