X

OnePlus Launcher Gets Improved With Updated App Switcher

OnePlus has just improved its Launcher by updating its app switcher. These changes have been rolled out via OnePlus Launcher v4.4, and the updated app switcher can be found in the recents menu.

OnePlus has improved its Launcher by updating its app switcher

As you can see in the screenshot provided down below, OnePlus moved icon companions for the app cards presented in the recents menu. Those app icons were included above app cards in previous iterations of OnePlus Launcher.

Names of apps are still present above the cards, but the icons have been moved down below. What use is that? Well, it allows you not only to get a clearer look at what apps you’ve used without swiping too much. You can also switch between them faster.

You can see eight and a half icons the most down there, five and a half if you’re currently on the last app card. If you’d like to switch to any other app, you don’t have to swipe through the cards in order to do so. Now you simply tap on the app icons without swiping, and voila.

This can be quite useful if you’d like to use an app card that is not right next to the app card you currently have selected. Also, the ‘close apps’ button is no longer represented in a graphical form, it has been replaced by ‘close apps’ text button. That button is located below app icons.

So, what OnePlus did here is some reshuffling of the recents menu. At the same time, the company made the recents menu more productive, in a way. Switching between apps is now faster than ever.

A new app search feature has also been added

These are not the only changes that this update brings, however. The company has also included a new app search feature here.

The procedure for activating this feature is not exactly obvious straight away. You need to swipe up on the home screen as if you’d open the app drawer, but don’t raise your finger.

So, swipe up and stop, but keep your finger on the display. The app search feature will pop up really fast after you do that. At that point, you can raise your finger, and use the search function.

If you simply swipe up and raise your finger as you would usually, you’ll open up the app drawer. This feature is also quite intuitive, and you’ll get used to it in no time.

Both of these features will definitely be included on the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. Those two phones are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. The company will announce the two phones during an online-only event.

They are also expected to offer a number of other OnePlus Launcher features that will arrive to older OnePlus phones at some point. Stay tuned, the event is a little over 24 hours away at this point.

OnePlus Launcher (Play Store)