Leaked 2016 Nexus Launcher ditches app drawer icon, adds “G” tab

2016's Nexus smartphones are just around the corner, and if these sources are to be believed, then we might have just gotten our first glimpse at the launcher that we'll be seeing on devices like Marlin and Sailfish.

It's worth emphasizing that these are only rumors at the time. Although Android Police is reporting that they are receiving this information from reliable sources, it's always possible that design changes will be coming down the pipeline that could seriously alter the appearance of this launcher. Without further ado, here's what we're looking at.

Right off the bat, we're noticing that the launcher has completely ditched the app drawer icon. However, this doesn't mean that the app drawer is completely dead. Its functionality can still be accessed by sliding up an arrow placed above the static icons riding along the bottom of the home screen.

See also: Alleged specs surface for HTC Nexus "Marlin"57

If this mechanic seems suspiciously familiar, you might be thinking of the similar app drawer that launched on the HTC G1 all the way back in 2008. The slide-up app drawer remained an Android standard all the way up through Eclaire until it was ditched in favor of the app drawer icon when Froyo came along. Could it be coming back?

The 'frosted glass' drag-up app drawer isn't the only thing new here. Also prominent is the "G" tab in the upper-left corner of the screen. Although this tab looks made for dragging, sliding this UI element does absolutely nothing on the current version of this launcher. Tapping it, however, initiates the familiar Google search bar that currently rides across Google Now launchers.

Some customization freaks might be a bit perturbed by the calendar widget that now hovers in the upper-left. According to reports, it cannot be moved or changed, at least in this leaked version of the launcher.

What are your thoughts regarding this new "Nexus Launcher" that may be coming down the line? Something that you'd be interested in using, or do you see missteps in design? Let us know in the comments below!

See also: Nougat in a nutshell: All the sweet spots from the Android team's Reddit AMA31

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