Research of other minimal launchers and phones

[jancborchardt]

For inspiration, to see what others are doing, and what of it makes sense.

light phone

• "designed to be used as little as possible"
• black & white matte E-ink display, so less battery usage too
• Main screen is just the list of apps/intents → Design inspiration for this Light Launcher project.
• light phone 2 has very nicely integrated navigation, alarm, calls, messages etc.

LessPhone Launcher

• Very similar to this Light Launcher project, but it’s not open source …
• Limits to 4 apps, and does not have the full app list at all.
• Task management integrated, with a possibly endless task list (ref #17 "Single input line for your current focus")
• Light theme is default, dark theme costs $2

Blloc

• Much more complex system. Blloc OS is based on Android 8.1. The "Blloc Tiles" are basically widgets, comparable to the tiles which Windows Phone used to have, with direct info displayed. (ref #44 "Display next calendar event up top")
• "Switching to Blloc Mode all interactions are unified into two timelines - A Root and a Tree. The Root unifies your online services into a single timeline, which is meant to make users more efficient. A Root is similar to a command centre: it let’s you read the news, check the weather or call an Uber without actually having to open an app."
• "Blloc OS is based on a monochromatic design language, which relaxes your eyes, distracts you less and helps you to reduce screen time to a minimal level. […] by a simple tap on the fingerprint sensor anywhere in the system, the screen can turn to full color."
• Has a unified timeline for people, grouping all the interactions with them in one place (Android Contacts does something similar?)

[ersi-dnd]

I very much like the current design of the apps drawer as one long list. However, I would like to see there a searchfield too the way it is in Indistractable Launcher. And I would like to see the currently open apps designed as a similar list, perhaps with a searchfield. Also, a searchfield seems to naturally belong to the list that pops up when pressing "add to favourites".

[github-tomster]

nice to see e-ink and monochromatic! there is also much potential to save resources using black on AMOLED displays. i am very happy with an true black launcher and drawer and just a list... maybe there are more out there appreciating that. :-)

[postapczuk]

I use it on my old good Nook. I need to check why the views are some times lost, like every action starts previous view instead of current...

[caigo]

Just as an inspiration, one more open-source launcher I was using in the past: https://github.com/sduduzog/slim-launcher As an approach is more similar to LessPhone (it only lets you access a selected number of apps, no "All apps" screen so), nevertheless it may be interesting as regards the settings screen and the option to rearrange apps (together with the possibility of hiding unnecessary items in the "All apps" screen, the only feature I actually miss from light-launcher).

[RichyHBM]

Before launcher is another similar launcher, the killer feature there is it lets you filter notifications of noisy apps and stores them in a feed so you don't get notified all the time

[ploum]

Aero Launcher (not open source) is the closest I know from Light Launcher : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.karanrawal.aero.aero_launcher&hl=en_US

What is really interesting is the ability to add some fixed informations on the screen that you can configure (they choose to put them in the 4 corners but that's arbitrary).

I find that hour, dae, battery status, quick access to camera, calendar events are very useful to have on the homescreen without being distracting/calling for action. In fact, it may even reduce distraction if you don't need to touch your phone to check remaining battery, hour or your calendar.

[Charles7z]

here's a screenshot of what i think is the best way to go for a text based minimal launcher. I did it using nova launcher + Launchy. Left side has the favorites and right side lists all non-hidden apps and is scrollable.

Everything on tne home screen, nothing else.