Latest version of Action Launcher lets users try Android P-like features

The latest version of popular Android launcher Action Launcher has brought Android P-style features, alongside a host of other additions and fixes. This means you can get an advance look at what Android P could be like without having to download the Android P Developer Preview or the Android P Pixel Launcher.

In terms of Android P stylings, Action Launcher has added support for a transparent rounded dock and search bar, while folders have also been given the ‘squircle’ design treatment. 

There have also been some big changes to the All Apps drawer. For example, you can now add folders to this section of your phone, while an app search box has also been added to the top. You can see how the changes work in the GIF below.

There have also been a ton of other fixes and changes to the app. Action Launcher say that “a dozen bugs have been fixed, 20+ stability bugs closed, and the app’s general performance has been markedly optimized and improved.” Here is a look at all the changes detailed in an Action Launcher blog post:

• NEW: When the Quickbar is white and uses a transparency of 35 percent or greater, icons on the Quickbar display in white ala Pixel Launcher.
• NEW: Support for P style rounded dock. The dock’s look can be changed via the new Dock tint effect setting.
• NEW: Add Pixel Launcher style search bar to All Apps drawer.
• NEW: When sliding the All Apps drawer open, smoothly transition to the new Pixel Launcher style search bar.
• NEW: Folders can be created in the All Apps drawer.
• NEW: “Show desktop shortcuts” setting added to All Apps options. If disabled, apps with shortcuts on the desktop are automatically hidden from the app drawers.
• NEW: “Select Apps” option added to folders.
• NEW: “Sort” option added to folders.
• NEW: Use Android P style rounded folders.
• NEW: Smartsize icon scaling, previously a Plus only feature, is now used automatically for all users.
• NEW: All Apps shortcut gestures no longer require Plus upgrade.
• NEW: Android P compatibility. Specifically, the compatibility warning notice no longer displays.
• NEW: Add “Customize” option to the Quickbar’s menu.
• IMPROVEMENT: During an initial import, the app imports layouts from other apps without forcing a restart of Action Launcher.
• IMPROVEMENT: General app optimizations.
• CHANGE: Changed default app gestures such that: swiping up on the desktop opens All Apps; settings is opened by double-tapping empty space on the desktop.
• CHANGE: Simplified dock swipes to open All Apps such that: Swiping up anywhere on the dock now always opens All Apps; to open Covers/Shutters on the dock, swipe downwards on the icon. This behavior can be changed via “Settings -> App drawers -> All Apps -> Swipe dock to open”.
• CHANGE: Width of items on All Apps drawer adjusts with the desktop margin setting.
• REMOVE: Support for the Lollipop and Marshmallow style All Apps drawers has been depreciated. We never like removing features, but in this case, we’ve made the decision to focus development on the Nougat style full screen All Apps drawer going forward. Doing so allows us to deliver new features such as folders and Pixel Launcher 2 search bar faster and more reliably.
• FIX: The Google App’s “At a glance” widget can be placed.
• FIX: Improved support for right-to-left languages.
• FIX: Navigation buttons are white on Galaxy S8/S9 style devices.
• FIX: Fix crash when running the app with Android’s “Work mode” disabled.
• FIX: Fix grabbing of the All Apps page slider.
• FIX: Fix appearance of Action Launcher’s icon on devices running Oreo or later.
• FIX: Fix dock caret Quicktheme support.
• FIX: Inform user that Quickbar settings can’t be accessed if “Don’t keep activities” developer setting is enabled.
• FIX: Fix appearance of status bar when opening All Apps on Android 5.x and 6.x.
• FIX: Fix app drawer displaying in broken visual state after upgrading to Plus on Android 5.x and 6.x.
• FIX: Disallow use of the HUAWEI Weather widget. Attempting to use this widget in all 3rd party launchers causes them to crash in an unpreventable manner.
• FIX: Fix shortcuts dragged from All Apps to the dock occasionally briefly displaying in the wrong position.
• FIX: Fix gestures sometimes failing to work after the Now feed is disconnected.
• FIX: Fix issue where status bar could display in the wrong color after changing the All Apps panel color.
• FIX: Stability fix importing from other launchers on Android 6.0 devices.
• FIX: Stability fix when editing Quickbar on Android 8.1 without Storage permission being granted.
• FIX: Fix appearance of folder after changing the icon of an app in the folder.
• FIX: Fix issue with dock sometimes displaying above the Quickpage.
• FIX: A great many miscellaneous stability fixes.

Phew, quite an upgrade then. If you want to test out some of these changes for yourself, then you can do so by heading to the Play Store to download the app by clicking the button below.