Google introduced the new Pixel Launcher alongside the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, which were launched last October. The launcher brought exciting features that would allow users to customize their home screens and search for online content in a faster way.
Later, Google made the Pixel Launcher available on the Play Store, which is compatible with smartphones running Android 5.0 and above. The design of the Pixel Launcher was quite different from the Google Now Launcher, as the latter has a long search bar with the G logo.
It looks like Google may bring this design to the Pixel Launcher, as the new design has caught the attention of some users according to Android Police.
Apparently, the new layout for the Pixel launcher has the same search bar as the Google Now Launcher, and it removes the weather/time information, which could come back at some point. Previously, the Pixel Launcher had a G icon at the top, which expanded to make the search bar larger for users to type in information and find content on the web.
This new design appears to be available only to some users and can be enabled by clearing the app data for the Pixel Launcher. But keep in mind that this feature will remove all of the default home screen layouts. It's unclear at this point if Google will make this design permanent or if it's just testing it out to see if users like it.
The Pixel Launcher offers quick access to Google Cards by simply swiping right on the home screen, swiping right from the home screen, or launching Google Search without actually leaving the screen.
