Google Launcher’s App Drawer now Scrolls Vertically, Has Quick Search, Shows Recent Apps and allows Scrolling Alphabetically.

Google now has been one of the most used launchers when it comes to Android phones. The launcher doesn’t have many features, but it is quicker, acts responsive and is simple to use. It also accompanies with Google now cards which can help you to stay updated with the things such as articles, products, weather updates you are interested in.

The latest update in the Google Now Launcher brings in the vertical scrolling, I was just about to sleep and was opening WhatsApp to check the messages from the app drawer and tried swiping but instead of swiping, the screen scrolled down. The Google app update went live for few users last week and today Google has just made it live for the users all over the world.

The latest update of the Google now has reminded us the way we used to scroll apps while using the Android gingerbread, but it comes with some new features. The update brings the following functionalities:-

• Quick search functionality.
• Vertical scrolling.
• Scroll alphabetically. (Use the scroll bar on the right hand side and scroll down or up)
• Shows recent apps on the top.

As listed above, the latest Google now update not just makes the app drawer scroll vertically but comes in with a lot of other features. On top of the app drawer sits the “Search bar” which can be used for “Quick search”. Quick search enables you to search for the apps inside your phone. Below the search bar sits the “Recent apps”, the recent apps area shows 4 apps which you’ve recently used and it keeps changing depending on the apps you are using.

The alphabetically scrolling is not just like the other alphabetically scrolling app drawers, to scroll an app alphabetically you are supposed to hold the scroll bar which you see on the right hand side of the app drawer and scroll it up or down. To know the apps of the alphabet on which you’ve stopped while scrolling, it focuses on the first app of that alphabet.

While using the Google Now’s App drawer for an hour, I’ve noticed it working very quick in comparison to the older version of the Launcher. I’ve also been using “Arrow Launcher” and wanted something similar from Google, hence people like me are in love with the “Google Now’s Vertical Scrolling Feature”. However, there are many people disappointed with the update.

Do you like launcher? Sadly, there is no option to switch back to “Horizontal swiping” in the Google Launcher. If you are one of the who don’t like the latest update of the Google Launcher, then there are “Nova Launcher”, “Apus Launcher”, “Apex Launcher” which can be used to get back the horizontal swiping to get the app on your phone.