What is the purpose of the back button in google now?

[pranxx]

Clicking that button doesn't do anything. I would expect that of I launch google now by swiping from the home button, the back button should take me to the app i was in prior to google now.
Is it a bug that the back button is not working?

 

[Infinity]

The back button doesn't do anything on any home screen, Google now is the far left home screen. If you click on a Google now tile the back button will take you back to the main Google now screen.

 

[pranxx]

Thanks but that doesn't answer my question. When I click on a tile it usually opens the relevant app like chrome or maps. There the back button works as expected.
For e.g. say I'm checking email in gmail. I launch google now by swiping up from the home button while I'm in gmail. After checking the tiles I'd expect that the back button will take me back to gmail. Currently I have to open the multitasking pane to get back to gmail from google now.

 

[mchockeyvette27]

Thanks but that doesn't answer my question. When I click on a tile it usually opens the relevant app like chrome or maps. There the back button works as expected.
For e.g. say I'm checking email in gmail. I launch google now by swiping up from the home button while I'm in gmail. After checking the tiles I'd expect that the back button will take me back to gmail. Currently I have to open the multitasking pane to get back to gmail from google now.

Google now is not a separate "app" anymore. It is integrated into the home screen, so technically there is nothing else to go back to from there. Its not like gmail where you can back out of it. And no its not a bug. That's just how it works on 4.4.

Think of it as taking you back to the home screen, cause that's really what it does.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[pranxx]

When put that way it makes sense. I would still prefer having the ability to go back to previous app from google now.

 

[SeanBlader]

You might be able to if you were using a different launcher than the stock. That would be interesting to hear if it did perform different.

 

[mchockeyvette27]

I just installed nova launcher. While in it, I opened chrome, swiped up from home button and took me to Google now, pressed back button and took me back to chrome. So if you want that functionality, install a different launcher.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[pranxx]

Do google voice commands work in nova launcher?

 

[Aquila]

Confirmed that's how it works in Nova, but with the Google Experience launcher it's the equivalent of hitting home and then back. Literally nothing happens.

- - - Updated - - -

Do google voice commands work in nova launcher?

The speak from homescreen to activate does not. Once you are in Google Now it works fine.

 

[pranxx]

Thanks I'll try it.