HTC makes its Edge Launcher even more useful

Do you remember how HTC’s U11 Plus featured Edge Launcher, which is a small radial menu of apps and quick settings that pops up when you squeeze the phone’s sides? The company recently updated its Edge Launcher, which means those using the regular U11 can take advantage of the new feature.

The update doesn’t change the Edge Launcher’s core functionality. You can still squeeze the phones’ sides to bring up a Lazy Susan of apps, contacts, and quick settings. Looking like a mishmash of Samsung’s App Edge screen and something like Paranoid Android’s pie-wheel controls, the radial menu is customizable with up to five levels.

Where things start to differ is with customization. You can now tap and hold the icons to reposition them, just in case you use certain apps and shortcuts more than others. Those shortcut options got a bit more diverse, as you can now choose battery saver, auto-rotate, and Wi-Fi hotspot shortcuts.

Also, you can now use Edge Launcher from the lock screen. Before the update, you could only bring up the Edge Launcher radial menu when the phone was unlocked.

Keep in mind that, unless Trusted Places is turned on, you will still need to unlock your phone if you launch an app or shortcut from the lock screen. You also don’t have to enable Edge Launcher — you can keep your phone-squeezing needs to launching one app or shortcut instead of an array of them.

It might make more sense to assign the Edge Launcher to Edge Sense, however. I know I’ve accidentally squeezed my Pixel 2 XL plenty of times, so I know there are U11 and U11 Plus owners who have done the same. When that happens, it might be better for a menu of apps to show up rather than the app or shortcut be front and center when you unlock the phone.

The updated Edge Launcher is available from the Play Store at the link below, but keep in mind you must own either the U11 or U11 Plus for the feature to work.