14 DAY TRIAL // Google is expected to release the new Android Nougat 7.0 this month, and HTC is also set to unveil two new Nexus smartphones at about the same time. Now, leaked images and GIFs reveal that the Mountain View-based giant has been working on a new Nexus launcher projected to arrive together with the upcoming Sailfish and Marlin Nexus handsets.
A number of GIFs and images of the Nexus launcher have leaked at Android Police, revealing some new features and a fresh design for the launcher on the upcoming Google smartphones manufactured by HTC.
The new launcher won't be coming with an app drawer icon, but that doesn't mean that the drawer will disappear completely. The app drawer will be hidden under a static set of icons at the bottom of the home screen. Since the app drawer icon no longer appears on the homescreen, the number of icons at the bottom of the screen rose to 5.
Users can slide up from the bottom of the screen in order to access the app drawer or tap an arrow in order to get to applications. To exit the app drawer, users can tap the back button or swipe down on the screen.
Google has also redesigned the Google Search widget on the homescreen
The search bar in the app drawer has also been redesigned, and Google has decided to make changes to the Google Search widget on the homescreen as well. The bar has been replaced with a simple G widget that would open search options. Google has also added a settings toggle that can be used for turning off the Google Now pane.
The new Nexus launcher is also said to come with some built-in Google Assistant functionality, as well as the previously rumored navigation and redesigned home button. Navigation buttons are expected to get a new design, but it remains to be seen if Google will actually make such changes in the new Nexus launcher.
