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GCA Launcher: a launcher inspired in ChromeOS, fast, beautiful, and optimized for mobile cheap

Launchers in Android there are lots for all tastes available. From proposals something recharged to opt above all for the functions to solutions that are more minimalist, as the launcher of Google, that you can sin by not having too many options at the level of customization. From XDA Developers we have known GCA Launcher, a launcher that based its design lines in some points seen in the ChromeOS Google.

We wanted to take advantage of for test the launcher, meeting with a proposal fairly quickly, neat level design, full-function and free. Let’s see more closely what we offer exactly, and why it’s worth it.

GCA Launcher: lines of Google and personalization for flag

GCA Launcher is located at a point quite “healthy”: it is inspired by the lines of Material Design of Google, but at the same time does not renounce to some aspects of customization that come quite neutered in the launcher regular Google. The developer stresses that it is intended primarily for economic devicesas the line Android GO Google (it weighs little and consumes few resources). However, we’ve tested in a Google Pixel 3a XL and we’ve been satisfied, so that devices of ranges higher also can get a good match.

The main desktop it is similar to the launcher of Googlethough with elements redesigned. The icons of the bottom bar are pretty close, just above the search bar (all of these elements within a transparent rectangle quite eye-catching. At the top we see the time, and a small message.

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The division of apps within the drawer of apps is one of the strong points of the launcher.

If we move up we are, anchored at the top, the application’s own main desktop, below the search bar and the rest of applications, organized in a grid of four columns. Up to here, basically we have the launcher Google something redesignedso let’s see what we offer the settings of the app, for which we do a long press.

GCA Launcher is full to level of customization, despite it being a launcher, quite lightweight, designed for devices of input range and Android GO

Here we have several interesting options. From the sidebar that appears when you invoke the settings, you can to adjust the gridaccess to the different packs of icons that we’ve downloaded, change the wallpaper and add widgets. However, if you click on “settings” when it opens up the true world of customization.

Change colors of the search bar
Add gradients of color
Hide applications in the drawer of apps
Add a second drawer of apps in the drawer of apps (for dividing by categories)
Change the colors of the launcher (theme: accent colors, primary color, etc)
Change the color of the navigation bar
To change the background color of the drawer of apps
Change the badge for notifications in the icons for the apps

What is waiting for us in version 2

For if they are not sufficient news, noting that work is already under way the version 2.0 of the application, which will entail a major change to the level of design and functionality. Is still in beta phase, but we tested it to check its operation.

The version 2 of this launcher features with a refined design, settings something more complete, and the promise of performance equal to optimized

Effectively, the aesthetic changes are pretty slickwith an aesthetic even more Material Design. In this case, the desktop applications are located at the bottom of the launcher, just below the drawer of apps. The design is much more clean. If we open the drawer of apps, we find ourselves with a drawer that can be separated into two halves. The search bar happens to be located underneath.

The settings are almost identical (a bit more complete, yes), with an interface quite clean. However, this beta version is still pretty green, so that we found ourselves more comfortable with your first version, waiting for this V2 to do something more stable.