Latest news with #PixelLauncher
Android Authority
20-05-2025
- Android Authority
Google tweaks the Pixel Launcher in Android 16 QPR1 to leave more space for your apps
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google has released the first Android 16 QPR 1 beta build for Pixel devices. The update introduces the Material 3 Expressive design changes that the company showcased earlier this month. It also tweaks the Pixel Launcher to free up more space for apps and widgets on the home screen. Google just released the first Android 16 QPR1 beta, bringing the Material 3 Expressive design changes showcased earlier this month to its Pixel devices. In addition, the beta update introduces a much-needed improvement for the Pixel Launcher that frees up more space for apps on the home screen. Google has reduced the size of Pixel's At a Glance widget in the Android 16 QPR1 beta update, freeing up an extra row on the home screen for other widgets and app icons. The update highlights this change when you boot up after installing the beta build with a pop-up stating, 'Good news! Your home screen has a new layout, which means there's space for more apps and widgets.' Telegram/Sominemo Pixel users have been clamoring for a way to turn off the At a Glance widget for several years, as it takes up a good chunk of the top half of the home screen. Although Google still hasn't introduced this option in the latest Android 16 beta update, the smaller At a Glance widget offers a middle ground, letting users add more apps to their home screen without removing the widget altogether. Interestingly, Google has also shrunk the At a Glance widget on the lock screen, likely to free up more room for lock screen widgets. Google has already confirmed that Android 16 QPR1 will bring lock screen widget support to Android phones, and the smaller At a Glance widget will allow users to add more widgets to the lock screen. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
15-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
Keep an eye on your money: Pixel's At a Glance may soon show you finance recaps (APK teardown)
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR The Pixel-specific version of Google's At a Glance (SmartSpace) may add a Finance Recap feature. There's no official timeline yet, and other leaked features like sports scores have also not yet released. The At a Glance widget is popular on Android flagships as a quick way to get contextual information surfaced on the home screen. However, we wouldn't fault you for not knowing that Google Pixel devices have two 'At a Glance' implementations. We've now spotted Google working on a Finance Recap feature for the Pixel-specific At a Glance home screen addition. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. The popular At a Glance widget is part of the Google app and is available to all Android smartphones that have the app installed. Another 'At a Glance' feature, codenamed SmartSpace, is Pixel-exclusive as it is part of the Pixel Launcher's home screen and lock screen. This looks like a widget, but it cannot be removed from the Pixel Launcher, so it is a permanent addition to the home screen and lock screen. Here is what At a Glance (SmartSpace)'s current settings look like on the Pixel 9 Pro XL running Android 16 Beta 4.1: Even though At a Glance (SmartSpace) is part of the Pixel Launcher, it gets much of its functionality through the Android System Intelligence app. With v.25 of the Android System Intelligence app, we've spotted clues that indicate Google is working to add Finance information to At a Glance on the Pixel Launcher: Code Copy Text Finance information Finance The Google app already has a Finance Watchlist widget, which shows stock data for the companies you follow on Google. The Finance Recap feature on At a Glance (SmartSpace) could be implemented similarly. The word 'recap' indicates that it could provide quick recaps from the world of Finance and stocks, rather than live information. We managed to activate the UI for the feature, but the information is pretty barebones. It is clearly a work in progress, as Google hasn't even given it its own icon yet. AssembleDebug / Android Authority Keen-eyed readers would also spot that the Sports scores toggle is also new. It had been spotted previously, but hasn't rolled out yet. Google has yet to share any information about the Finance Recap or the Sports feature within Pixel Launcher's At a Glance functionality, so we don't know when, if at all, these features will arrive. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
11-05-2025
- Android Authority
Google is a search company, so why is search so bad on my Pixel phone?
Andy Walker / Android Authority For years, Nova Launcher was my preferred Android launcher. Initially, its lengthy list of customization options attracted me, but its powerful search capabilities truly won me over. I could easily access obscure parts of an app directly from its search bar, saving time scrolling through app lists and reducing home screen clutter. There was no longer a need to pin important apps for easy access. However, this changed when I got a Pixel 8 and encountered Pixel Launcher's limited search for the first time. I was disappointed. Nova Launcher isn't developed by a massive search company whose name is synonymous with search, yet it excelled in search functionality. Google, responsible for both Pixel hardware and software, falls embarrassingly short with Pixel Launcher. What do you think of the search functionality on Pixels? 0 votes It's brilliant! It meets all my device and web search needs. NaN % It's good. It mostly works well, but there is room for improvement. NaN % It's OK, but it leaves a lot to be desired. NaN % It's terrible, and I can't stand using it. NaN % Search is everywhere on the Pixel, but it's ineffective Andy Walker / Android Authority A launcher's search bar should be the most powerful tool on an Android smartphone. It should take me exactly where I want to go, or at least close. If I want to access a specific Slack channel, I should be able to do so directly. If there's a setting I want to change, like adjusting default apps, my launcher's magnifying glass should guide me there. Judging by Pixel search, it seems that Google doesn't quite agree with me. For those unfamiliar with Pixels, there are two ways to access search through the launcher. You can tap the permanent home screen search bar at the bottom of the screen or swipe up to access the app drawer's search facility. The latter is slightly more customizable, but it's not immediately accessible. A launcher's search bar should be the most powerful tool on a smartphone. This isn't the case on the Pixel. To give Google some credit, there are aspects of the home search bar I like. I can tap the G logo to open my manicured Discover feed. I also appreciate how the keyboard disappears with a downward scroll and reappears when the search bar is active. This detail shows Google's understanding of smart usability features. However, these little details are overshadowed by larger problems. Joe Maring / Android Authority Let me explain these in more detail, starting with a simple search term. Tapping the home screen search bar and typing 'settings' doesn't provide a list of toggles but a wall of web search suggestions. I'm unsure why Google thinks I'd want to visit 'settings iPhone' on my Pixel 8. Only by scrolling down does the phone reveal options to search directly within the Settings, Play Store, Maps, and Contacts apps. These options should be at the top, or Google should allow me to reorder sections within the search page. Pixel Launcher's search stops short of being truly useful, only offering surface level results. To Google's credit, this is the case with the app drawer search. I can disable web search results here, but this option should also be available on the home search bar. App drawer results also occasionally include quick settings options, but why not all settings? You can see how Nova's results compare in the next section. Nova Launcher's results for "F1" inclued calendar entries for upcoming F1 races. When searching "F1" through the Pixel app drawer search, here's what I get. The Pixel's home search bar produces a slew of related web search suggestions. No calendar events. Even more puzzling is the lack of deep integration with Google's own apps. While searching Calendar from the app drawer search yields options to add an event, I can't search for a specific event using keywords. I can't search for Keep notes, Pixel Weather locations, Sheets documents in Drive, or Photos albums from either search bar. One might argue that I don't need to use the home search bar on my Pixel if it's not useful, but it's hard to ignore. Google makes it a permanent fixture on the home screen that can't be moved or hidden. The company clearly wants me to use it, even more so than the app drawer search option. Third-party launchers shouldn't offer smarter search on Pixels than Google, but they do Andy Walker / Android Authority I don't believe I'm being too harsh on Google, especially when we compare the Pixel search results with Nova Launcher's results running on the same phone. When I search 'settings,' Nova immediately lists actual settings options, initially arranged alphabetically: About phone, Accessibility, Airplane mode, All apps, and Battery. This is available right off the bat; no additional add-ons are necessary. I can refine results by adding more details to my search. 'Settings da' offers links to Default apps, Data usage, and Date and time. Nova Launcher. Nova Launcher. Pixel Launcher. Beyond settings on my phone, I can also jump directly into shortcuts within third-party apps. In Nova's settings, I can enhance my search scope through API integrations, allowing access to Spotify library items (seen below), Calendar events, Slack channels, and Twitch streams to name a few. The list of available integrations Nova offers. Once the Spotify integration is enabled, I can easily search podcasts... ...or playlists. Contrast this with Pixel search results. With Nova, there's no need to open Calendar and scroll for a specific event I made months ago; I can simply search for it from the bar and access it immediately. I can extend these capabilities further with Sesame Shortcuts, an optional add-on that allows even more integration with third-party apps and their shortcuts. Pixel Launcher offers none of these deeper integration features, even with some of Google's own products. Pixel Launcher offers none of these deeper integration features, even with some of Google's own products. I know the company once offered a more intricate search system with an API on its devices, but it halted these efforts. While it has reintroduced some integrations to Pixel Launcher's search, the experience pales in comparison to Nova. Pixel search could be much, much better Andy Walker / Android Authority So what's the fix? Switching over to Nova Launcher permanently on my Pixel 8 is a workaround, but one that introduces its own problems. Despite Google's patches, third-party launchers still suffer from animation issues on Pixels, and Nova is keenly affected. Returning to the home screen from any menu results in flashes and stutters. Despite its robust search features, Nova is not an option for now. Pixel Launcher performs so much better on its native hardware. My only hope is that Google improves Pixel Launcher's search utility in the future. This focus would help novice and power users find content on their devices more efficiently and turn the launcher into a gateway to Google's services. With Android 16 promising new features, including refreshed animations and refined UI elements, I urge the company to consider building a more comprehensive launcher search experience. Pixel users deserve it.
Mint
02-05-2025
- Mint
Android 16 leak reveals major visual redesign: New icons, animations and quick settings revamp tipped
Google's forthcoming Android 16 update could introduce one of the most significant visual redesigns in recent years, according to newly surfaced details from a leaked beta version. The update, which is expected to roll out by June, may bring sweeping changes to the interface, including revamped notifications, Quick Settings, and status bar icons. A report byAndroid Authority reveals that Android 16 Beta 4 contains several hidden design upgrades, though they are yet to be activated. Among the key enhancements is a refreshed status bar, with redesigned icons for Wi-Fi, mobile data, airplane mode, and battery. The Wi-Fi and mobile data indicators have reportedly been separated into distinct segments, while the icons for 5G and airplane mode appear noticeably bolder. The battery icon is also receiving a makeover, featuring a more vivid appearance. It is said to display a green background when charging and switch to red to signal a low battery. Additionally, the clock on the status bar is expected to use a larger and bolder font for improved readability. Google's Quick Settings panel is set for a notable revamp as well. The update could introduce resizable tiles, streamlined one-tap toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a more organised tile editor, allowing users to easily add or remove tiles with a single tap. A redesigned brightness slider, expandable tiles marked with downward arrows, and a new segmented Wi-Fi icon are also reportedly on the way. In terms of aesthetics, the Quick Settings menu is tipped to adopt a blurred background—a visual effect that may extend to other areas of the system, such as the app drawer in Pixel Launcher, the multitasking view, and the PIN entry screen. The lock screen is said to be receiving layout adjustments, with date and weather details positioned for a cleaner look, and contextual information placed at the top when no notifications are present. Other reported interface tweaks include a compact notification shelf, a redesigned volume slider, updates to the PIN entry page, and a new media output switcher. The Settings app is expected to align with Google's latest Material 3 Expressive design guidelines, while the Pixel Launcher may soon offer custom icon shape options. Beyond visual updates, Google is also reportedly working on adding more fluid animations throughout the system. The report highlights new physics-based animations for dismissing notifications—partially swiped notifications may now bounce back if released before being dismissed. Similarly, a subtle 'jiggle' effect could be introduced in the recent apps menu when a user begins swiping a task but lets go before completing the action. Additional animation tweaks are said to include a waveform icon within the volume indicator when audio is playing, a tap animation for the clock, and a brief animation triggered when holding down the power button. Although these features have been identified in Android 16 Beta 4, they are not yet enabled, suggesting Google may save their release for a future quarterly update. First Published: 2 May 2025, 03:43 PM IST
