Latest App Launcher Test May Take Chromebooks Forward By Going Back

Chromebooks could be gearing up to receive a brand new app launcher, based on a newly reported experiment from Google. What's more than, that experiment could potentially atomic number 82 users both astern and frontward forth the evolutionary path for the OS. That's because the new launcher volition reportedly closely resemble the original Chrome OS launcher. With some tweaks in place to modernize the feature for productivity and usability.

What is this new app launcher experiment and how will it impact Chromebooks?

As might be expected, this launcher is not quite fix to serve the app needs of users on Chromebooks — it is, after all, still an experiment. Just, dubbed Productivity experiment: App Launcher, information technology is a fundamental shift from where the launcher currently stands.

In its current iteration, the app launcher has two stages. On the first click or tap of the concentric circle icon, the most recently used apps and a Google Assistant-based search announced. A swipe upward from there showcases an app picker that's non unlike Android's app drawer. Complete with folders and apps. But, in the current iteration, that UI fills effectively the unabridged screen.

With the upcoming app launcher, the UI takes a more Windows-like approach. Or, more accurately, an arroyo that's more than like an older Chrome Bone launcher. All with the goal of, according to Google, enhancing the feel "to improve app workflows by optimizing access to apps, app content, and app actions."

To that end, the UI simply takes up around a quarter of the screen, in the infinite just above the app launcher icon. That contains, in one UI, the Assistant UI, search, and several new but incomplete elements. For example, there'due south a "Flip page" button that currently merely leads to some placeholder text.

When and volition this ever arrive?

At present, this is just one of many launcher overhauls that Google is currently working on for Chromebooks. And then there's no guarantee the visitor will ever release information technology to the Stable Channel.

In fact, this blazon of deviation is only small plenty that Google could potentially employ information technology to farther separate its Chrome Bone and Enterprise Edition variants of the OS. Simply, that's ifGoogle chooses to push an update with this change at all. And it remains to exist seen if the search behemothic will.