The Pixel launcher unofficially arrives PlayStore

It’s not wrong to say that the Pixel launcher has been one of the most sought-after launchers in the world of Android. Google’s simplistic approach to Android’s UI makes it a favourite amongst Android fanboys. However, the only way one could get the Pixel launcher in all its glory was by downloading it via third-party repositories, which raised the potential for cyber attacks. Now though, the issue is sorted as the Pixel Launcher is now there on the PlayStore.

Developer Amir Zaidi, who has been after getting the latest Pixel Launcher available for most devices, has published the Rootless Launcher on the PlayStore. The Rootless Launcher is essentially the Pixel Launcher underneath and completely functions like one — thanks to the Pixel Bridge APK.

Installing the launcher is simple — head over to the PlayStore and search for Rootless Launcher. Install the APK file and set it as default. Once you do that, you will be greeted with a prompt requesting permission to install the Pixel Bridge APK, which will eventually act as a handshake forwarder so when Google makes changes to their API, it should still work fine. The Rootless Launcher is an open source software that anyone can use to create a separate launcher.

Currently, the Rootless Launcher only supports devices running on up to Android 8.1 Oreo, with the developer promising support for Android Pie soon. Additionally, it also doesn’t support the Pixel devices, which is obvious as they have the launcher installed by default.

(source)