Google has addressed long-standing issues that plagued third-party app launchers on Android devices. The problem, reported as early as August 2023, caused a range of frustrating behaviors, primarily affecting the user experience when interacting with apps through non-default launchers. Google’s engineers marked the issue as “fixed” last week.
Google fixes a major issue with third-party app launchers on Android
While all Android phones ship with a default app launcher, the Play Store is full of several third-party options. These launchers offer additional tools or features, making people pick them over the default ones. However, since mid-2023, several Android users have reported frustrating issues with third-party launchers installed from the Play Store.
One common problem was a glitch when opening apps, where apps failed to launch directly, showing only the wallpaper or a blank screen. To open the app, users had to return to the home screen and try again, wasting time. Another issue was the swipe gesture malfunctioning. Gestures like swiping to the home screen or app drawer didn’t work properly, requiring a lock and unlock to fix.
Keyboard issues were also frequent, with the keyboard failing to appear in the launcher’s search bar. Additionally, unresponsive folders caused app folders to remain invisible when tapped, making it hard to access grouped apps. These glitches disrupted usability, especially compared to the smooth performance of the default launcher.
These problems were consistent across various Android versions. The default launchers provided by device manufacturers weren’t affected and functioned correctly under all scenarios, highlighting the incompatibility between third-party launchers. After several months of waiting, Google has finally fixed the problem. At least that’s what a recent comment on Google’s official Issue Tracker suggests.
Hopefully, developers will be quick to roll out these fixes to Android users worldwide. Keep an eye out for updates for your beloved launcher on the Play Store. You should always update apps regularly to fix bugs and receive the latest features.
