Thoughts on Android Multi-Tasking - General Questions and Answers

Sorry for any mispelling that may occur, I typed this on my phone. will fix any errors later on my computer.
Hi everyone, as the title says, I'm here to share my thoughts about the current multi-tasking capabilities.
In the last Google i/o (2014) , Google unveiled the new recents screen and said something like: ohhh we improved the multi tasking by adding chrome tabs! (I know they didn't say it like that but you get the point)
Since then I've been thinking... you fools are so damn off... both google, samsung and the "big" roms are terribly off on multi tasking in my opinion.
Yes, Samsung and Omni Rom have multi window but in my opinion, that's not pratical at all in phones, only good for tablets and tablet wise I have no complaints about that kind of multi tasking except that you have a limit of "duo tasking".
That aside, there's other options like Paranoid Android. old Halo and the new Hover. (personal favourite Rom btw)
Halo was great! probably the best multi tasking experience I've had on a phone, because it gave the ability to switch a task extremely fast with just one swipe and the swipe lenghth would determine what app will open. But you were limited to only notifications and the apps pinned with Halo))) app.
Hover on the other hand, is worse for multi tasking in general, but if the multi tasking is between a random app and the notifications you receive, then it has no match.
Excluding those options and others of the same kind, you have the good old recents button. Which sucks for multi tasking because you need 3 actions everytime. Click, swipe through the list and click again. and that is boring as hell when you need to switch between apps often (which is my case).
So... now, I'll tell you where I think this multi-taskings fail and what I think it should be like.
PA Hover should stay as it is. as PA states, it is only meant for notofications and is the best at what it does. So good that Google even implemented something similar on Android L.
Now then, let's compare Android to a Pc OS. is it the multi window that improves the multi tasking? I personally have most windows maxized all the time, except for file explorers to copy files easly. so how come I barely use the multi window features and multi task just fine on a computer?
Dear Google, Samsung, etc. it's because of something called taskbar (or dock for mac).
This taskbar is the equivalent to your recent buttons, but is always displayed.
And that's where all the android multi task fails.
Tell me in the comments if you agree/disagree...
I have thought of ways for this to work... the most beautiful looking would be to switch the navigation bar current buttons with the icons of the open apps (so, pretty much a taskbar xD) but then we would have no buttons to navigate...
having a taskbat on top of the navigation bar would look ugly and take alot of space.
A Halo option but with the open apps instead of the notifications would be great, but Halo is not the most new-users friendly feature.
And my last ideand which I think it really is possible and would work well, is:
recents button removed (obviously), back and home button would get closer to each other on the left of the navigation bar (like the old ics and jb tablet UI) and fro. the middle to the end of the right side a horizontal scrollable list of open apps. swiping a app up would close it.
So... what do you guys think?

as far as multitasking goes (at least for my part), side app bars (aokp) + floating windows (pa) are enough. your idea might be ideal for others, but having another clutter in the screen estate (depending on screen size that is) is too much for most users. that's why pie and immersive/expanded desktop mode was was created. to maximize screen estate. but that's just me.
p.s. your idea above might be close enough on aokp (ribbons on navbar) but that only works on pinned apps there

Stock android should be much better at multi tasking than it is right now i don't understand why they can't implement Samsung's or LG's multitasking features!

I know its not a system bound item, but I've been using "Multitasking Pro". It has stay on top windows that can be minimized and then reopened. Its basically a number of apps packaged to a sidebar. Some might find it useless, will others find it indespensible. Worth a mention.
delivered to you piping hot and fresh through quantum physics and pony express

Related

[IDEA] For developers - TouchWiz Multitasking Smart Taskbar

Hi everyone,
I came up with an idea, that I couldn't find elsewhere. When People like to eat new ideas with their eyes, then I decided to use Photoshop to explain this idea better. Maybe this concept can be embedded into ToucWiz framework or maybe in the future CM/AOKP/PA can figure out how to do real multitasking like in Samsung TouchWiz framework and also with this taskbar addition.
Notice I have added minimize button to every multiwindow app and Icons Active and Inactive states on taskbar (Active glows, inactive in more transparent)
It should work like this:
When you open an app from MultiWindow menu (from the arrow in the middle of taskbar), then its icon will appear onto the taskbar. When you leave the app, the icon glow will become more transparent (it means this app is not active). When you open another app from multiwindow menu then it also appears onto the taskbar. And etc. etc.. I you want to minimize app temporarily then you can use minimize button. If you close the app from "X", then it will dissapear from the taskbar.
Hope you understand better with these pictures.
And remember:
I am not a programmer/developer, I am a graphics designer, and this is not (yet) a working hack,
so if any developer knows how to make this idea real, then I can help with the graphics part if needed.
Though there is nothing complicated in this design.
Polaris is Active
View attachment 2207989
ES File Explorer is Active
View attachment 2207990
Edit: Oops, forgot to add the minimize button for ES.
Viber is Active
View attachment 2207991
All previous apps minimized
View attachment 2207992
Also a button for 4 apps side by side alignment would be nice (I hope no imaginary picture is needed for this), current 2 apps side by side is not enough, our tablet can do more, maybe devs can add it also :fingers-crossed:
Let me know what you think about this idea. And also let others know about this. I hope some day this idea will be possible and we can use our tablet similarly to PC-s.
Wow amazing idea.
Update!
I saw a similar feature on the Note 2013 line.
There is an actual minimize button that minimizes an app into "PA Halo" type circle, and can be opened up and placed wherever you want.
(as usual, not many apps are supported)
http://youtu.be/opwrJ2K8VaA?t=1m40s
Too bad Samsung is in a huge delay with an update to Android 4.3 with all those features for our Note 10.1. And if Samsung updates our device, then I somehow feel that our "update" is going to miss some of the new features.
That is because of exclusive new content on Note 2013 line, "The new features update" for our device could have a bad affect for their Note 2013 sales also. This is marketing..
I still hope some developer will get an inspiration to develop this kind on feature Please share this idea to everyone who is interested in innovation.
Maybe mods can move this thread elsewhere, where it is more seen.
The best development result would be a Touchwiz multitasking in AOSP Roms.
Maybe a bit more development to "PA Halo" would make a greater multitasking experience available to every AOSP rom. Then we won't need those delayed Samsung updates any more !

Any way to get "swype down" to close apps in android? - + one more Q

Coming from Nokia's N9 myself I realy miss some of the feature of the Meego OS, and was wondering if these are available on android:
Is it possible to get a function to "swype" downwards to close an app ?.
Also is it possible to get a quick "mini menu" where the top status bar is - where one could togle things like blutooth, wifi, etc.
Also how does one "clear" the status messages without having to click everyone of them ?.
Is there also a way to close all apps (I know the Galaxy Tab have this feature - but I guess that is something built into some samsung stuff) ?
mmass23 said:
Coming from Nokia's N9 myself I realy miss some of the feature of the Meego OS, and was wondering if these are available on android:
Is it possible to get a function to "swype" downwards to close an app ?.
Also is it possible to get a quick "mini menu" where the top status bar is - where one could togle things like blutooth, wifi, etc.
Also how does one "clear" the status messages without having to click everyone of them ?.
Is there also a way to close all apps (I know the Galaxy Tab have this feature - but I guess that is something built into some samsung stuff) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My friend looking at your post, it seems like you are not familiar with the term called "rooting" and "custom roms".
Three of the features out of four you've asked are there in custom roms.
The swype down feature.. Looks interesting BUT i am afraid so far we haven't seen it in android yet.
eefo said:
My friend looking at your post, it seems like you are not familiar with the term called "rooting" and "custom roms".
Three of the features out of four you've asked are there in custom roms.
The swype down feature.. Looks interesting BUT i am afraid so far we haven't seen it in android yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea - know there is way to root it - but haven't realy looked into it as this is a company phone, so would like to keep it "clean" - was hoping maybe some launcher/apps would add this functionality.
However I found the nexus actually have a quick mini menu at least Not sure it provide everything I wanted but it's a start
thnx for the reply
Root + Xposed + Gravity will do all except swipe down.
mmass23 said:
Coming from Nokia's N9 myself I realy miss some of the feature of the Meego OS, and was wondering if these are available on android:
Is it possible to get a function to "swype" downwards to close an app ?.
Also is it possible to get a quick "mini menu" where the top status bar is - where one could togle things like blutooth, wifi, etc.
Also how does one "clear" the status messages without having to click everyone of them ?.
Is there also a way to close all apps (I know the Galaxy Tab have this feature - but I guess that is something built into some samsung stuff) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/app-swipeback-v2-0-0-swipe-apps-t2592116
That's the closest thing I know of for swipe down to close apps. It can close apps by swiping from any edge you want, but requires the Xposed framework
Any gesture navigation app will give you the "swype downwards to close an app" ***current app
Just set the gesture
There are a couple of problems with the things you wish to do as far as I can see it:
1) swiping downwards to close an app will cause you some issues in the long run, specifically given that this is how you open the notification panel. From the videos of the N9 that I have seen, the close-app gesture is started from the edge of the screen, not somewhere in the middle? This is exactly how you open the notification panel...
2) It's not as quick as it could be (yet) but there is a mini-menu for toggles in the notification pull-down if you pull down with two fingers, or pull down with one then tap the icon in the top right
3) There should be a little icon looking like three staggered rectangles in the notification pull-down when you have multiple status messages. Tapping this should clear all status messages.
4) Closing all apps on Android is (generally) a bad thing to do. With Meego (and Maemo before it), all open applications are true multi-tasking so will be holding active RAM in use in the background so closing all running apps has a practical use (I used to use an N900). With Android, however, we actually only have a partial hybrid multi-tasking, where only apps with an API call to explicitly stay active will remain fully active in the background (eg. music playback). Everything else is put into a partial suspend state. If you keep fully closing everything, then Android will have to re-open it from ROM rather than RAM which will have a detrimental effect on your battery life. This is heavily paraphrased from an Android development engineer. As for Samsung, this is basically pandering to customer ignorance who still think that anything in the "recents" menu is draining their battery because that's how it works with Windows. To put it very bluntly, Android is better at memory management than you are
Unlike with Meego/Maemo, the entries in the Recents menu are not actually all open and active. As the name suggests, this is only a "history" list of apps you have had open since boot. The lower down this list, the more likely it may still be active, but not guaranteed.
Sorry if any of the above is borderline patronising, but I feel that this sort of Android RAM misinformation needs to be explained whenever I see it! :silly:
chaosdefinesorder said:
There are a couple of problems with the things you wish to do as far as I can see it:
1) swiping downwards to close an app will cause you some issues in the long run, specifically given that this is how you open the notification panel. From the videos of the N9 that I have seen, the close-app gesture is started from the edge of the screen, not somewhere in the middle? This is exactly how you open the notification panel...
2) It's not as quick as it could be (yet) but there is a mini-menu for toggles in the notification pull-down if you pull down with two fingers, or pull down with one then tap the icon in the top right
3) There should be a little icon looking like three staggered rectangles in the notification pull-down when you have multiple status messages. Tapping this should clear all status messages.
4) Closing all apps on Android is (generally) a bad thing to do. With Meego (and Maemo before it), all open applications are true multi-tasking so will be holding active RAM in use in the background so closing all running apps has a practical use (I used to use an N900). With Android, however, we actually only have a partial hybrid multi-tasking, where only apps with an API call to explicitly stay active will remain fully active in the background (eg. music playback). Everything else is put into a partial suspend state. If you keep fully closing everything, then Android will have to re-open it from ROM rather than RAM which will have a detrimental effect on your battery life. This is heavily paraphrased from an Android development engineer. As for Samsung, this is basically pandering to customer ignorance who still think that anything in the "recents" menu is draining their battery because that's how it works with Windows. To put it very bluntly, Android is better at memory management than you are
Unlike with Meego/Maemo, the entries in the Recents menu are not actually all open and active. As the name suggests, this is only a "history" list of apps you have had open since boot. The lower down this list, the more likely it may still be active, but not guaranteed.
Sorry if any of the above is borderline patronising, but I feel that this sort of Android RAM misinformation needs to be explained whenever I see it! :silly:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overdose1986 said:
Any gesture navigation app will give you the "swype downwards to close an app" ***current app
Just set the gesture
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lopezk38 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/app-swipeback-v2-0-0-swipe-apps-t2592116
That's the closest thing I know of for swipe down to close apps. It can close apps by swiping from any edge you want, but requires the Xposed framework
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
martinsskutans said:
Root + Xposed + Gravity will do all except swipe down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mmass23 said:
Yea - know there is way to root it - but haven't realy looked into it as this is a company phone, so would like to keep it "clean" - was hoping maybe some launcher/apps would add this functionality.
However I found the nexus actually have a quick mini menu at least Not sure it provide everything I wanted but it's a start
thnx for the reply
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
eefo said:
My friend looking at your post, it seems like you are not familiar with the term called "rooting" and "custom roms".
Three of the features out of four you've asked are there in custom roms.
The swype down feature.. Looks interesting BUT i am afraid so far we haven't seen it in android yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mmass23 said:
Coming from Nokia's N9 myself I realy miss some of the feature of the Meego OS, and was wondering if these are available on android:
Is it possible to get a function to "swype" downwards to close an app ?.
Also is it possible to get a quick "mini menu" where the top status bar is - where one could togle things like blutooth, wifi, etc.
Also how does one "clear" the status messages without having to click everyone of them ?.
Is there also a way to close all apps (I know the Galaxy Tab have this feature - but I guess that is something built into some samsung stuff) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Swipe down to close app is there in Xposed using swipe back module.
You can read that Swipe back has a feature to change thje swipe edge , top to bottom or vice versa
chaosdefinesorder said:
There are a couple of problems with the things you wish to do as far as I can see it:
1) swiping downwards to close an app will cause you some issues in the long run, specifically given that this is how you open the notification panel. From the videos of the N9 that I have seen, the close-app gesture is started from the edge of the screen, not somewhere in the middle? This is exactly how you open the notification panel...
2) It's not as quick as it could be (yet) but there is a mini-menu for toggles in the notification pull-down if you pull down with two fingers, or pull down with one then tap the icon in the top right
3) There should be a little icon looking like three staggered rectangles in the notification pull-down when you have multiple status messages. Tapping this should clear all status messages.
4) Closing all apps on Android is (generally) a bad thing to do. With Meego (and Maemo before it), all open applications are true multi-tasking so will be holding active RAM in use in the background so closing all running apps has a practical use (I used to use an N900). With Android, however, we actually only have a partial hybrid multi-tasking, where only apps with an API call to explicitly stay active will remain fully active in the background (eg. music playback). Everything else is put into a partial suspend state. If you keep fully closing everything, then Android will have to re-open it from ROM rather than RAM which will have a detrimental effect on your battery life. This is heavily paraphrased from an Android development engineer. As for Samsung, this is basically pandering to customer ignorance who still think that anything in the "recents" menu is draining their battery because that's how it works with Windows. To put it very bluntly, Android is better at memory management than you are
Unlike with Meego/Maemo, the entries in the Recents menu are not actually all open and active. As the name suggests, this is only a "history" list of apps you have had open since boot. The lower down this list, the more likely it may still be active, but not guaranteed.
Sorry if any of the above is borderline patronising, but I feel that this sort of Android RAM misinformation needs to be explained whenever I see it! :silly:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the clarification appreciated
Yea the N9's screen is part of the swype system (the screen sides are curved), as it differs from swyping from the edge of the screen or within - it's the same from the sides, one can either swype from edge of the screen - flipping thru the apps that is open - or one can swype from just inside the edge to scroll thru f.ex images in an image viewer - the N9 also have a "notification" bar - or atleast a "top" bar, but that's activated only by a touch of the top line (where it shows status) - instead of dragging it down.
mmass23 said:
Thanks for the clarification appreciated
Yea the N9's screen is part of the swype system (the screen sides are curved), as it differs from swyping from the edge of the screen or within - it's the same from the sides, one can either swype from edge of the screen - flipping thru the apps that is open - or one can swype from just inside the edge to scroll thru f.ex images in an image viewer - the N9 also have a "notification" bar - or atleast a "top" bar, but that's activated only by a touch of the top line (where it shows status) - instead of dragging it down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clearly based on other responses there is an Xposed module that allows you to close and app with a downwards swipe, so my response may not therefore be the whole truth
With some sort of selectable "active area" of the Xposed swipe you might be able to get the best of both worlds; i.e. swipe from top left downwards to close current program, or top middle and top right to open notifications? (or any combination thereof of course!)
mmass23 said:
Coming from Nokia's N9 myself I realy miss some of the feature of the Meego OS, and was wondering if these are available on android:
Is it possible to get a function to "swype" downwards to close an app ?.
Also is it possible to get a quick "mini menu" where the top status bar is - where one could togle things like blutooth, wifi, etc.
Also how does one "clear" the status messages without having to click everyone of them ?.
Is there also a way to close all apps (I know the Galaxy Tab have this feature - but I guess that is something built into some samsung stuff) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try Jolla launcher
http://d-h.st/hTF

gravitybox vs x-blast

The interfaces for both of these apps
are going to be very similar: just a list
of things you can tweak. The real
differences are going to come in what
exactly you can tweak.
The organization on both is pretty
standard, and once you get it all setup,
you likely won’t need to go back into
the app for much. Interface really isn’t
a deciding factor here, but at least you
know what you’ll be working with.
 So What Can They Customize?
Short answer: nearly everything. These
modules are both fantastic solutions for
customizing your Android device
without flashing a custom ROM.
Your best bet once you download one is
just to run through every section and
see what you can change — you’ll likely
run into a customization you didn’t
even know existed, but soon will wonder
how you ever lived without it.
Above you can see the options for
customizing the status bar in both
apps. You get mostly the same types of
things with a couple of noticeable
differences. For one, XBlast has
gestures available for the status bar.
GravityBox, while it supports a double
tap on the status bar to turn off the
screen, doesn’t support other gesturing
like swiping left or right or long-
pressing.
However, GravityBox has Notification
Heads Up, a feature that gained hype
recently with the announcement of
Android L and the new pop up
notifications. If either of those tickle
your fancy, you may want to pick one
over the other.
Moving onto the lockscreen is where
XBlast really shines. GravityBox has its
fair share of lockscreen tweaks for sure,
but XBlast outdoes it with the ability to
change the unlock icon, the color
around it, the size, and many other
parts of the lockscreen like showing
notifications on it. XBlast pretty easily
takes the cake here.
Each app has so many of its own
customizations that it would takes
pages and pages to elaborate on all of
them. If you’re curious about the
smallest of the tweaks available in
each, like XBlast’s ability to customize
your build.prop or GravityBox’s ability
to tweak the Google Experience
Launcher, download each of them
individually and give them a shot.
However, don’t have both activated at
once or you’ll run into some wonkiness.
 Multitasking Tweaks
Both of these apps take a slightly
different route for multitasking. There
are other ways of getting multitasking
on your device , but having it baked into
the module is super convenient.
XBlast takes this approach in three
different ways: a Circle App Launcher,
an Appbar, and Gesture Anywhere.
Circle App Launcher displays a cool
ring-like effects along one of the sides
of the screen that you can scroll
through to access other apps. Appbar
simply makes a list of apps appear on
the side of the screen. Both are
controlled by a swipe in from the
outside of the screen, and they make
for super simple multitasking.
They’re very customizable, from the
transparency to the size of the
activation area, and they work
surprisingly well. Circle App Launcher
can be seen below on the left, and
Appbar on the right.
For this kind of multitasking, XBlast is
your module.
GravityBox, on the other hand, has its
own kind of special feature: Pie
Controls. Pie Controls are useful if you
want to hide the onscreen navigation
keys and only access them from a
swipe up from the bottom (or in from
the side if you prefer). It comes from
the famous PAC ROM , and it has made
a name for itself as a staple of the
rooting and tweaking community.
You can customize the heck out of the
Pie Controls in GravityBox’s settings,
and it’s a fantastic way to save screen
real estate if your device has onscreen
keys. Plus, with the multitasking button,
you can reach Android’s built-in
multitasking super quickly anyway.
Above, you can see the Pie Controls in
action. On the left is what happens
when you swipe up quickly — releasing
from the swipe will press the button
your finger is on when you lift up,
making it pretty dang fast. However, if
you hold it and wait without lifting, it
greys out the background and gives you
some system info, especially helpful if
you like to live in fullscreen mode
without a notification bar.
If you like XBlast but still want Pie
Controls, check out another Xposed
module called Ultimate Dynamic
Navbar, which we’ve reviewed . It can
help complete your customization
experience.
 Who Is The Winner?
You tell us. Let us know in the
comments which Xposed module you’re
using and why.
As for me, I would have to recommend
XBlast. It’s available on a wider range
of devices (Android 4.0+) and it has
significantly more customizations like
lockscreen notifications, quiet hours,
multitasking, and build.prop mods. Still,
I love GravityBox and have used it for a
while on my own device. Try both out
and see which you like best.
Is this a poem?

Multitasking and Multiwindow on Note Pro 12.2

Hello everyone! Can you share your own experience with multitasking and multiwindow apps on Note Pro 12.2? Which apps are you using and why?
Thank you!!!
I usually run Internet browser and chrome or Facebook and chrome side by side. And some Other combos. Works perfectly
Also, are there any specific apps that can make other apps multiwindow compatible without rooting?
Look here: Anything better than Multitasking Pro by OryonCorp?
The thing to remember about forcing applications to do windowed mode is that some may not render properly when the window is scaled. Sometimes text or graphical elements will stretch as the window proportions are changed. Most applications will still function but the look may change when in window mode as a result.
Also, in the case of a multiwindow patcher like Spere is linking to another thread when the application is converted it's signature changes breaking the link to the Play Store as a result so you'll no longer get update notifications for it. Spere mentions this in the thread that was linked to.
Personally I don't use multiwindow too much because I don't find it as useful as I had hoped. I'm the type of person that looks for efficient ways to do things and since the tablet isnt the ideal means for me to do the production type work that I like to do I just don't find it beneficial . . . so i end up using my macbook or my workstation at work. Essentially my main use for multiwindow on my Note Pro ends up being video watching while browsing or for keeping a Hangouts chat window open while doing something else. Occasionally I'll pop open a window for ES File Manager or something while composing an email but other than that . . meh . . Not used much.
If it were easier to change to windowed mode like it is on a Note 4 with the window proportion being locked but scaleable that would be nice but we don't have that functionality yet on the Note Pro.
muzzy996 said:
If it were easier to change to windowed mode like it is on a Note 4 with the window proportion being locked but scaleable that would be nice but we don't have that functionality yet on the Note Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell me what do you mean? An example maybe?
I am looking for a way to make more apps to be able to appear on the "multitasking pane" so I can have the screen splitted in 4 areas. Any help with that?
Can we also have 2 instances of chrome in 2 areas and 2 other apps on other areas of we split the screen in 4?
Thank you very much for your answers!!!
With regards to the Note 4 mutliwindow being different it's a mixed bag . . . Many of us Note Pro users like the pen window functionality and the ability to slide in a panel from the right edge of the screen that has icons for all mutiwindow enabled applications that can then be dragged onto the screen to create an instance of it. You don't get the same thing with the Note 4; what you get is no pen window support, and the right side menu has to be accessed via a long press of the back key rather than a simple swipe gesture.
What you do get with the Note 4 that I really want is the ability to be inside any mutiwindow enabled application FULLSCREEN and by a gesture from the upper right corner of the screen inward, grab the upper right corner of the application and create a windowed instance of it. This feature essentially allows you to go from fullscreen to window, back to full screen . . AT WILL. You cannot do that with a Note Pro.
Bear in mind that because I'm not a bluetooth keyboard user multiwindow is of no real major benefit to me other than for content consumption type stuff (videos in windows, chat windows etc.). Since I do not use an external keyboard, as soon as I need to type in any application I must deal with an onscreen keyboard and at that point I hit a roadblock with regards to available screen real estate. Having a small floating onscreen keyboard only goes so far to mitigate the issue. This is not an issue for those who are using this tablet as a laptop replacement and have a bluetooth keyboard since there's no need for onscreen keyboard overlays.

UI Regressions on Android 9 PIE

Now in every new android release since kitkat there has been regressions, but in PIE I noticed this one has a fair few so I googled and I observed that almost every article was only praising the release as if they just there to promote and suck up to google developers.
Then I found this very honest post from a guy on reddit.
https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/co...eatures_since_the_pie_update_and_the/ejrdwnp/
I will quote also.
Neutered navigation bar with an increased focus on gestures rather than buttons (wit the bar using up the same amount of space with decidedly half-baked gestures). Some companies at least maintained the options of buttons or gestures, but I think the Google Pixel 3 prevents users from having the option of using the classic navigation buttons.
Horizontal Recents/Overview screen instead of a vertical variant - this "feature" is more subjective, I guess.
Enforced 3-icon limit for notifications in the status bar, all thanks to notches - for certain phones, this change completely removed the option to have as many icons in the status bar as you have space for.
The Digital-Clock/Time's position was enforced on the left instead of the classic right-side position - again, all thanks to notches..
The Volume Slider got changed to a "vertical" variant if I recall correctly, and I think that certain volume sliders can only be changed by actually diving into Settings, whereas the Android 8/Oreo implementation gave a simple quick drop-down to change all 4 at once, and Samsung even added the option to switch the controlled volume default from Ringtone to Media.
Removal of easy access to viewing System Uptime in Android Info (WHY? It's a useful metric that just sits there harmlessly!).
The DevCheck application thankfully still indicates System Uptime, although the read-out isn't as "fluid" (doesn't refresh as much) from what I've seen.
Neutering of the "Quick Toggles" pop-up thing, where you can adjust certain quick-toggles' settings quickly without actually diving into the Settings screen.
certain "Do Not Disturb" mode capabilities/workflows that were possible in Android 8/Oreo are apparently harder, if not impossible, to achieve in Android 9/Pie.
I think that the Android 8/Oreo Easter Egg got removed..? (if one counts that as a feature).
Call Recording got heavily hampered.. I'm not sure of Screen Recording... Custom theming on Samsung devices also seems like it will be harder to achieve in the near future (going by a recent changelog entry for the "Theme Galaxy" application), although "One User Interface (One UI)" seems to be softening the blow.
as others have mentioned, the method to access Android-native "Split-screen/Multi-Window view" has been altered a bit...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me on a personal level the nasty ones are the removal of battery saving location from UI (the underlying code still supports it), removal of expanded controls from quick toggles, and the call recording hampering.
Now personally I dont think I have recorded more than a few calls in my lifetime on a smartphone, but I believe in user's been in control of their own device and user choice. The change to quick toggles is just mind baffling and makes no sense whatsoever, the changes to GPS may possibly make sense but it needs to be explained to users, instead of just silently removing the feature and have the media pretend its not happened.
Their minds would be better focused on fixing the flaws in the UI so e.g.
Black themes that are inconsistent so e.g. I have a black theme enabled but the navigation bar is white, and the notification boxes are white.
More control over UI elements, allow more freedom to do things like resize notification boxes (they way too large on stock android), reposition every icon and so forth. No choice on vertical or horizontal recent apps screen.
Consistency in UI, so e.g. on quick toggles when expanded you see text labels, when not expanded you dont, there is no reason for that, its just bad consistency.
I also hear of future regressions like plans to replace navigation buttons entirely with gestures, that I think is a disaster in the making as many users dont use gestures, and prefer buttons.
I think its clear changes are been made for the sake of change rather than functional improvement. I feel android UI peaked with kitkat.
Ironically that reddit thread has people praising samsung for adding sanity and reversing the changes, google dont like samsung changing the UI, but you cannot blame samsung when google are doing stupid things to the UI.
I am half tempted to go back to samsung on next phone, my oneplus6 is lightning fast tho and my s7 is really laggy and slow by comparison. But there is no doubt samsung phones have a better UI and feature set.
One thing that has always baffled me, is some users on XDA feel they must always be on the latest version of android, I seen users abandoning things like xposed, useful mods etc. just because they only support a rom version that might only be a few months out of date. This is baffling when you consider that new android versions usually have more regressions than new useful features. As an example on oneplus6 people are abandoning renovate ice because it only supports up to 9.0.6.
I will probably add my own quick toggles with tasker for GPS modes, still looking for call recording solution, as well as black notification theming, I expect the theming for navigation bar is not fixable tho. I had black notifications on havocos and to say they look better is an understatement.
Google sort out your UI department as its pretty bad right now.
rant over.
Also to mods if this post is in the wrong place, please move it rather than just removing it or warn me before removal so I can copy and paste the content to repost in right place, thanks.
Should have posted this on Google's forum, not a hacking forum

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