The OnePlus "Shelf" is back from the dead for OnePlus 8 series owners. After the company killed it in favor of Google Discover on the 8 and 8 Pro (a wise move, in our opinion), OnePlus has now found a way to bring it back as an optional feature with a swipe-down trigger in the latest OnePlus Launcher Beta.

We tried to pull down the latest version to see how the feature works for ourselves, but we don't have the APK yet, and the rollout to the app's Play Store beta program seems to be slow. Still, OnePlus has shown us what it should look like:

As you can see, the Shelf is accessible via a downward swipe once the feature for it in the OnePlus Launcher's settings has been enabled. While the OnePlus Launcher had a "swipe down" setting before (long-press on an empty area of the home screen -> home settings -> Swipe down), the only thing you could use it for was to access the notification shade and quick settings tray. This update turns that area into its own new settings pane with the option to trigger the Shelf.

The newly resuscitated Shelf looks to be the same as prior versions, with all the same functionality. In case you're unfamiliar, the Shelf provided a space for a handful of widgets and shortcuts like a step-counting widget, recent apps drawer, a "toolbox" for apps and functions you might use frequently, and a spot for writing memos. You could also drop in other widgets, which would get their own cards in the list with the other features.

According to OnePlus, this change is rolling out via v4.5.4 of the OnePlus Launcher, bringing the functionality just to OnePlus 8 series phones in NA and the EU for now.

Source: OnePlus