Niagara Launcher replace provides assist for 2 of Android 15’s greatest options

Probably the greatest features of the Android working system is its customizability, and maybe nothing is extra reflective of that than its assist for third-party launchers. There are lots of nice Android launchers to select from, however among the many intensive listing, Niagara Launcher is without doubt one of the hottest and beloved. The most recent Niagara Launcher beta replace makes it even higher for customers operating Android 15, because it provides assist for 2 of the working system’s largest options: app archiving and Non-public Area.

Niagara Launcher, for many who aren’t conscious, presents a recent and clear residence display expertise on Android. Its design is deliberately minimal so you may keep centered on the apps that matter most. Nevertheless, it doesn’t shrink back from providing some superior options such because the Niagara widget, the launcher’s tackle the Pixel’s highly effective At a Look expertise, and Anycons, its intelligent method to themed icons.

Though a number of of Niagara Launcher’s greatest options are solely accessible when you unlock the Professional model, many options can be found for all customers, together with the newest additions within the v1.12.7 beta replace.

Niagara Launcher Beta 1.12.7 changelog

Niagara Launcher v1.12.7 beta is rolling out right now, and it brings full assist for the app archiving and Non-public Area options in Android 15. There are some caveats with the launcher’s Non-public Area assist that I’ll clarify intimately under, however first, right here’s the changelog for the replace:

• Assist new options launched in Android 15
  • Non-public Area: discover apps out of your personal house in a brand new part and unlock or lock the personal house straight from Niagara Launcher
  • App Archiving: archived apps are greyed out and have a neat “cloud” badge to indicate that they have to be restored earlier than utilizing them once more
• Bugfixes
• Up to date Translations

App archiving assist in Niagara Launcher

Niagara Launcher now totally helps Android 15’s built-in app archiving characteristic. Which means that it acknowledges when apps have been archived and replaces their icons with the archived model of the icon. The archived model of an icon is just a grayed-out model of the app’s unique icon with a “cloud” badge overlaid on prime. Tapping an archived app’s icon will set off a dialog that asks you whether or not you need to restore the app from no matter app retailer it was put in from.

In comparison with the Pixel Launcher on Google’s Pixel telephones, Niagara Launcher handles archived apps precisely the identical, albeit with a couple of minor visible variations. For instance, the archived model of an app’s icon is barely completely different in Niagara Launcher versus Pixel Launcher.

As well as, Niagara Launcher doesn’t show the progress of an app’s restoration, whereas the Pixel Launcher does so with a round progress bar on the icon itself. Neither launcher enables you to archive apps from the house display or app drawer, although Niagara does supply the flexibility to cover archived apps, in contrast to the Pixel Launcher.

Non-public Area assist in Niagara Launcher

Extra spectacular is Niagara Launcher’s assist for Non-public Area, a characteristic that permits you to disguise apps on Google Pixel telephones and different gadgets that assist the characteristic on Android 15.

Non-public Area creates a wholly new profile that’s sure to the first person, very similar to a piece profile. On this profile, any apps or information that you just obtain are saved in their very own personal information path, making certain your most delicate information doesn’t present up while you’re operating an app outdoors the Non-public Area. Your Non-public Area may also be arrange with a special lock display and Google account than the first profile, furthering the separation between the 2.

Whereas the Android working system handles the creation, administration, and deletion of the Non-public Area, Android launchers like Niagara Launcher are accountable for really letting the person work together with it. To correctly assist Non-public Area in Android 15, launchers must have a separate container for apps put in within the Non-public Area, have to have the ability to lock and unlock the container on demand, have to cover apps within the Non-public Area when it’s locked, and have to have the ability to disguise the Non-public Area fully when the person permits that setting.

Niagara Launcher helps nearly each Non-public Area requirement minus two which can be at the moment not possible for it to deal with. With out going into an excessive amount of element, there are a couple of Non-public Area APIs that third-party launcher apps can’t at the moment entry in Android 15. The primary one is an API that lets apps launch the Non-public Area settings display. The second is an API that lets apps detect when the person has enabled the “disguise personal house” setting.

Because of this, third-party launchers like Niagara Launcher are unable to detect when the person has chosen to cover the Non-public Area, that means they don’t know when to cover the whole container just like the Pixel Launcher does. If that wasn’t sufficient, these limitations additionally imply that third-party launchers make it straightforward to inform when a Non-public Area exists on the gadget, which defeats the aim of the “disguise personal house” setting. The builders have raised these Non-public Area API points, in addition to points associated to the predictive again gesture and app overview, on the Google Situation Tracker and are on the lookout for customers to upvote them to get Google’s consideration.

Other than these points, I’ve discovered Non-public Area assist to be a beautiful addition to Niagara Launcher. The builders clearly put lots of thought and care into integrating it in a method that matches with the minimalist design. When you’re a fan of Niagara Launcher and have a Pixel cellphone operating Android 15, I like to recommend giving the newest beta launch a strive.