Google Discover has filled the spot on the left-most panel of many Android homescreens for years now, but it replaced a tool that had some genuinely useful functions. Now, a new tool from a talented Android developer offers users the choice between Discover and “Snapshot,” the offering that replaced Google Now.
Kieron Quinn, a fairly well-known Android developer and tinkerer, this week revealed a new tool that’s been in the works for some time called “Discover Killer.” The tool, true to its name, can turn off Google Discover on your homescreen or replace it with something you prefer.
The standout replacement here is Google Assistant Snapshot, which makes complete sense as a Discover replacement on the homescreen. Like the good ol’ Google Now, Snapshot can show upcoming appointments, reminders, and other contextual information that would genuinely come in handy to the left of your homescreen. Discover certainly has its own merit as a way to find stories you find interesting, but being able to swap it out would be nice as an official option.
In a recent retrospective, our Abner Li took a look at what made Google Now so great and why we wish it was still around. “Snapshot” isn’t quite the same product, but it’s not very far off either.
Unfortunately, this tool requires some work to get going. Your phone will need to be rooted for one, and then you’ll need to install “Discover Killer” as an Xposed Module. On top of being able to put Google’s Snapshot on your homescreen, the tool can be used to replace Discover with basically anything else. A special splash screen is applied to make it appear that the app of your choice is seamlessly sitting next to the homescreen.
More on Google Discover:
- Google surfacing in-depth Olympics coverage right in the Discover feed
- Google Discover test shows tappable article keywords with topic pages
- Google rolls out ‘more streamlined’ Discover feed on Android that removes article descriptions
Author: Ben Schoon
Source: 9TO5Google
