What Launcher are you using?

[Joshua Greve]

I just got a Pixel (2xl). I had a Samsung Galaxy S7. Both phones are very good. I can't really figure out what is really special about Pixel's Launcher. Would love to hear the features ppl here really appreciate. After a few days, I just got kind of underwhelmed and went back to my trusty Nova Prime. I don't even get how I used to use a phone without gestures. That said, I would still like to hear about the key features that makes the Pixel launcher pop for ppl. I am sure there are aspects I missed.

 

[Joshua Greve]

I always go with nova, because I don't care for the dock on any phone. They always waste space on the screen imo.

So do you only use gestures?

 

[Joshua Greve]

That's cool. What do you especially like about it?

 

[dov1978]

The stock Pixel Launcher is still awful after all this time. No swipe down notifications, no widget padding, no option to remove the search bar, no option to change or resize icons. And they're just the basic options all launchers should have these days.

Microsoft Launcher and Nova for me

 

[Joshua Greve]

The stock Pixel Launcher is still awful after all this time. No swipe down notifications, no widget padding, no option to remove the search bar, no option to change or resize icons. And they're just the basic options all launchers should have these days.

Microsoft Launcher and Nova for me

I have to agree with you. I tried it out today inspired by this and another thread, thinking that I would perhaps see a different side to it. I was ready to lose some of the good to gain some kind of good on the other side. but... Man! What a boring launcher. There is absolutely nothing special about it. I couldn't find anything about it that was preferable to any of the launchers. You can't do anything with it you can't change the icons you can't cover the really ugly notification bar at the top you can't move things around. it's like executives from Apple came over to Google and said hey how can we make the most unimaginative UI possible. I guess I will say the only thing that I do like is the live-action wallpaper. That's pretty stunning. But, it seems to work just fine and some of the other launchers.

 

[Joshua Greve]

In fact, I tried out Niagara today. And I actually greatly preferred Niagara because it doesn't pretend to be amazing. It capitalizes on being minimalist. Pixel pretends to be something that it really isn't. It's minimalist without wanting to be. It's minimalist because of lack of features not by design. It just lacks. Honestly I found Eevee and Niagara to be much more impressive. I am just so disappointed in what seems to be an increasing aversion to individuality and customization on the part of Google. It really does feel more and more like apple in that they don't trust their consumers to make decisions about features and details that would be best for them. They have become more concerned about making everything with the same so that we're all a walking advertisement for their company. And fare enough. But it does make Google not very different from most any other company except that they have a lot of power. Ugh I'm getting frustrated. Lol

 

[dov1978]

The stock Pixel Launcher is still awful after all this time. No swipe down notifications, no widget padding, no option to remove the search bar, no option to change or resize icons. And they're just the basic options all launchers should have these days.

Microsoft Launcher and Nova for me

OK so I take it back. I switched fully to Pixel Launcher after I wrote that just to confirm to myself that it was still awful. Yeah I'd still like those things added that I mentioned but apart from that it's been super smooth and a nice simple launcher. If my default Microsoft Launcher or even Nova didn't have a few annoying bugs just now on the Android Q beta 4 then I probably would never have even given it another try. I'll just stick to my biggest and most frustrating Pixel problem. Why oh why is there no One Handed Mode yet?!?!

 

[Joshua Greve]

OK so I take it back. I switched fully to Pixel Launcher after I wrote that just to confirm to myself that it was still awful. Yeah I'd still like those things added that I mentioned but apart from that it's been super smooth and a nice simple launcher. If my default Microsoft Launcher or even Nova didn't have a few annoying bugs just now on the Android Q beta 4 then I probably would never have even given it another try. I'll just stick to my biggest and most frustrating Pixel problem. Why oh why is there no One Handed Mode yet?!?!

I haven't had any problems. Maybe I don't have Q beta 4??? I'm not trying to convince you back from the dark side. Lol. But I am asking for real: what bugs did you have w Nova Prime?

Also, fwiw, this thread inspired me to try out other stuff. I found that I really like Evie as well. It's like NP, but with fewer options. Not sure why I am using it other than just for a change, but it has been a super smooth ride... So far. ??????

 

[sulla1965]

Stock

 

[dov1978]

I haven't had any problems. Maybe I don't have Q beta 4??? I'm not trying to convince you back from the dark side. Lol. But I am asking for real: what bugs did you have w Nova Prime?

Also, fwiw, this thread inspired me to try out other stuff. I found that I really like Evie as well. It's like NP, but with fewer options. Not sure why I am using it other than just for a change, but it has been a super smooth ride... So far. ������

Nothing major but the Android Q beta is well known for not playing nice with 3rd party launchers just now. I'm using the new full gesture system and when you swipe up for home on Nova or Microsoft Launcher you get a weird jerky animation before it goes to the home page. With Pixel Launcher it doesn't. Also with the other launchers I sometimes get notification badges on the icons that won't clear. That's it really for me anyway. Once the beta ends and we get full release Android Q that'll all be fixed and I'll certainly go back to them. I love Microsoft Launcher especially

 

[Joshua Greve]

Ah yes. The notification thing has happened to me before though it was on my S7

 

[acejavelin]

Nova Launcher... been using it for so long anything else I've tried just feels like it's missing so much. That and Notification Badges with unread count, I can't do without that anymore.

 

[frankf10]

Using ios 13 launcher. I like it, just wish i could add to the widgets screen. Is there a way to do this?