Android N Rumors: No App Drawer, Multi-Window, Stylus Support

Megalith

Megalith

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Who knows what confectionery it’ll be called, but the successor to marshmallow is on the way and a couple of new features (or lack of) are already expected. Rumors suggest it will actually be losing a feature that differentiates it from iOS—but this is Android, so I’m sure bringing it back will be simple enough.

While iOS just adds every new app you install to the home screen, Android has always allowed you to pick and choose, tucking the complete list away in a dedicated app drawer. Two separate sources have reportedly told Android Authority that there’s no app drawer in pre-release builds of Android N. Google tweaked the app drawer in Marshmallow to switch to a vertically scrolling list instead of horizontal pages, but it may have now decided to ditch the drawer altogether. That would presumably mean new apps icons would be added to the home screen after each install, just like the iPhone.
 
Interesting. Looks like this is an effort to chase Windows tablets. I know windowing and pen features have been add-ons from OEMs for a long time now, but adding them to stock Android is clearly a response to get Android on productivity class devices which typically means higher prices and margins.
 
More iOS like? no thanks.
Just like Samsung dropping features and making the S6 look more like an iPhone - no thanks.
That's why I bought a Note 4. Better features (like the SD slot, replaceable battery, and IR blaster. Plus it was cheaper, even after adding a 64GB SD card.
 
I can't imagine they'd remove it and/or not leave an option. More likely the preview build is testing something.
 
No app drawer?
Unless they mean to replace it with something similar to the shelf on the OnePlus2, I can not fathom them going through with that.
 
Gorankar said:
No app drawer?
Unless they mean to replace it with something similar to the shelf on the OnePlus2, I can not fathom them going through with that.
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Who doesn't use a launcher on Android? GEL already sucks today and has since release.
 
Skripka said:
Who doesn't use a launcher on Android? GEL already sucks today and has since release.
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I would assume most of the general users don't and really that's who Google is marketing changes for, even if upsets the more technical users. If the change is due to Google hoping users will uninstall unused apps then they haven't seen a lot of Iphone users phones.
 
Skripka said:
Who doesn't use a launcher on Android? GEL already sucks today and has since release.
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I would imagine most don't use alternative launchers. I use the app drawer sparingly myself because I typically just use folders on the home screens to launch most of my frequently used apps. Never really bothered with other launchers. Like most people, I am not a power user of my cell phone. Games, multimedia, internet surfing, email, texts, and oh, yeah, phone calls is all I really use mine for.
Screenshot_2016-02-21-16-00-07.png
 
What the hell?

It's like Google is desperate to make Android as bad as possible.

It's kind of like Samsung's new approach with the Galaxy phones.
 
DPI said:
Uh.. No. Compared to Android tablets, Windows tablets barely exist.
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Considering the high growth rate and much higher selling prices of many Windows tablets compared to Android, I don't think device makers are seeing it this way. Thus the launch of iPad Pro with the pencil and the Pixel C. Of course Android tablets will sell in much larger numbers but virtually all of those devices low price, low margin devices and that market currently isn't growing.
 
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