Launcher 3 after Nougat update - What is it ?

[Rinsun]

After my Moto G4 Plus (3GB) got the Nougat update on 28th Dec I find that I have a 'Launcher 3' with the G of Google Search as icon in Settings>Apps.It takes up 203 MB storage and requires all the permissions - calendar,contacts etc.
Google Now Launcher is a separate app with only 16 KB in internal storage with no permissions required.
I use Nova Prime Launcher as default home app.For selecting launchers,I am given 2 options- Nova and Google Now Launchers.
Please can someone help ? What is this Launcher 3 ?
Thanks !

 

[B. Diddy]

Launcher 3 is typically the basic Android launcher. When you first got the phone, do you recall what the default launcher was? Was it the Google Now Launcher (the one that shows the Google app if you swipe right from the main homescreen), or a more basic launcher that required you to long-press Home to get to Google Now?

 

[Rinsun]

Launcher 3 is typically the basic Android launcher. When you first got the phone, do you recall what the default launcher was? Was it the Google Now Launcher (the one that shows the Google app if you swipe right from the main homescreen), or a more basic launcher that required you to long-press Home to get to Google Now?

Thanks for your reply !
I had Google Now launcher with the Google app screen on the left side of the home screen when I first got the phone . After I came to know about Nova launcher from AC and the forum I started using Nova . By the way, this is my first Android phone.
The phone got the Nougat update end of December and after that I saw that there is a separate launcher 3 but when I go to select my home launcher I am offered Google Now and Nova.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm, interesting. Considering that you mentioned Google Now Launcher only using 16K, I wonder if Google Now Launcher is using Launcher 3 as a primary component. It's not how it appears on my Nexus 5, but maybe Moto/Lenovo do things a little differently.

 

[Rinsun]

Hmm, interesting. Considering that you mentioned Google Now Launcher only using 16K, I wonder if Google Now Launcher is using Launcher 3 as a primary component. It's not how it appears on my Nexus 5, but maybe Moto/Lenovo do things a little differently.

How much of your internal storage does the Google Now launcher take up ? I had never checked mine before I noticed the Launcher 3 on my phone after the Android 7.0 update. I will check on the other Android phones of my family members today evening to see whether they too have a launcher 3.Those phones are Lenovo K5 Note and K3 Note, on Marshmallow and using Nova Prime as launcher.
Are you using the Google Now launcher as default launcher or some other launcher ?
P.S - Any notification from Google Now in my notification area like weather, time to home etc is from Launcher 3 .

 

[Rinsun]

I also wonder if others with Moto G4/ plus on Android 7.0 and with Nova Launcher are seeing this.

 

[B. Diddy]

Google Now Launcher uses 14.65 MB of storage on my Nexus 5. I do use it as the default launcher on this device.

 

[Rinsun]

Google Now Launcher uses 14.65 MB of storage on my Nexus 5. I do use it as the default launcher on this device.

The Android phones which my family members use do not have Launcher 3 .Those phones are on MM while mine is on Android 7.0 .
I suppose your Nexus 5 is on Nougat ?

 

[B. Diddy]

Nope, Nexus 5 stopped at 6.0.1. Let me see if any of the Ambassadors or Mods has a G4 Plus.

 

[Rinsun]

Nope, Nexus 5 stopped at 6.0.1. Let me see if any of the Ambassadors or Mods has a G4 Plus.

Thanks !
I am also surprised at the 203 MB that Launcher 3 is taking up compared with your Google Now Launcher. I had not checked it while on MM.
My phone is running smoothly though .I am just curious .Is it a bug ?

 

[LeoRex]

OK.... couple of things...

Launcher3 is the default AOSP launcher. If you build Android from source, you'll be able to build Launcher3 as the default system launcher (which is required). Launcher3 is also the framework from which most Android launchers are built upon. Nova, Action Launcher, Google's Now and Pixel launcher...

Now, the 'Google Now Launcher' app that you have installed is really more like a stub that enables the Google App to function as your launcher, and it is not dependant on the existence of Launcher3 (though, if we could look at the complete course for the Google Now Launcher, you would see Launcher3 code in it). With the Google Now Launcher, they basically took Launcher3, then stuffed it inside the Google App so there is tight integration with the feed and On Tap... So other than the Google search stuff, its pretty much Launcher3.

 

[Rinsun]

OK.... couple of things...

Launcher3 is the default AOSP launcher. If you build Android from source, you'll be able to build Launcher3 as the default system launcher (which is required). Launcher3 is also the framework from which most Android launchers are built upon. Nova, Action Launcher, Google's Now and Pixel launcher...

Now, the 'Google Now Launcher' app that you have installed is really more like a stub that enables the Google App to function as your launcher, and it is not dependant on the existence of Launcher3 (though, if we could look at the complete course for the Google Now Launcher, you would see Launcher3 code in it). With the Google Now Launcher, they basically took Launcher3, then stuffed it inside the Google App so there is tight integration with the feed and On Tap... So other than the Google search stuff, its pretty much Launcher3.

Thanks for the explanation .
So what happened after the Nougat update that I see Google Now and Launcher 3 as separate apps under Settings > Apps ?Sorry for my ignorance but I am not a 'tech' person.

 

[Javier P]

Thanks for the explanation .
So what happened after the Nougat update that I see Google Now and Launcher 3 as separate apps under Settings > Apps ?Sorry for my ignorance but I am not a 'tech' person.

It was the same on Marshmallow. This is from my Moto X Play.

 

[LeoRex]

Thanks for the explanation .
So what happened after the Nougat update that I see Google Now and Launcher 3 as separate apps under Settings > Apps ?Sorry for my ignorance but I am not a 'tech' person.

Well.. they were always separate apps. As for what is going on with your phone, not 100% sure... I don't have one to pick apart and see how it ticks.

 

[Rinsun]

It was the same on Marshmallow. This is from my Moto X Play.

Thanks !
It is the same on my phone now .

 

[Rinsun]

Well.. they were always separate apps. As for what is going on with your phone, not 100% sure... I don't have one to pick apart and see how it ticks.

I am happy that it is not a bug .
Thanks for all the explanations .
The other Android phones I checked came with Lenovo launcher (K3 Note and K5 Note) and not Google Now Launcher and they are not showing up a 'Launcher 3 ' after installing Nova Prime.

 

[inversvs]

My LG V20 has the same thing going on. I use Action Launcher 3. Launcher 3 will appear if Google is either running or in the recent apps portion when multitasking.

 

[Rinsun]

My LG V20 has the same thing going on. I use Action Launcher 3. Launcher 3 will appear if Google is either running or in the recent apps portion when multitasking.

It's the same for me and also in notification area.

 

[Rinsun]

Well.. they were always separate apps. As for what is going on with your phone, not 100% sure... I don't have one to pick apart and see how it ticks.

The Google app got an update in Play Store today and after that there is no Launcher 3 in my phone.The Assist app is listed as Google app and notifications are from Google.

 

[Javier P]

The Google app got an update in Play Store today and after that there is no Launcher 3 in my phone.The Assist app is listed as Google app and notifications are from Google.

Yeah, I noticed the same yesterday after the update. Less confusing now