For the past few years, Google’s Nexus phones have come with stock Android installed on them, meaning that this is the version of Android that Google envisioned, not the heavily themed or skinned versions that OEMs release. However this year could be an exception as there are rumors of a certain Pixel Launcher that will be exclusive to the Pixel phones.
The rumors are suggesting that it could even have features exclusive to the Pixel phones, a move which is very unlike Google, or at least in the past. In fact according to the newer reports, some of those features include a 3D Touch-like UI. As you can see in the screenshot above, it seems that the Pixel Launcher could be borrowing some ideas from Apple’s 3D Touch.
On iOS devices with 3D Touch, pressing down hard on an app could bring up certain shortcuts, like sending a message, or making a call, and as you can see, Google could be thinking of applying a similar concept to the Pixel Launcher. We’re not sure if pressure sensitive displays are part of the Pixel phones, but we can only assume that a long-hold should be able to do the trick.
We’re not sure if Google plans on eventually bringing the Pixel Launcher to the Google Play Store, but in any case we expect we will find out more come 4th of October which is when Google has scheduled their announcement.