We’ve seen many attempts over the years to improve Android’s interface for handling multi-tasking. From the official task switching button, and third party launchers that attempt to rework it, such as Action Launcher, to Samsung’s attempt at letting you work with two apps at the same time; none have quite managed to overcome the fundamental fiddlyness of juggling multiple apps on a small touch screen.
Last App Switcher might be the best effort yet. It’s an elegant solution, making use of the very on-trend floating button. Tapping this button acts as a toggle between your current app and your previous one.
And it’s this simplicity and focus that makes the app work so well. It isn’t a power user tool, and it doesn’t try and turn your phone into a fully fledged computer. Instead the app recognises how most people work on their devices.
It’s ideal for carrying on a IM or text chat while working in another app or playing a game, or reading a website while composing an email. Any two tasks you carry out simultaneously are made infinitely easier with Last App Switcher.
Configure Last Action Switcher
It’s also very discretely implemented, unlike so many other solutions that take up valuable screen real estate or require you to change how you work.
The LAS button is, by default, set to 75% transparency, and snaps to the edge of the screen. You can set it to be even more opaque, or even turn it off entirely and assign the app to swipe-up-from-the-home-button gesture that normally launches Search or Google Now.
The app does have a persistent notification. This keeps the app alive, but on devices with ample RAM you can turn the notification off and should not have any problems.
Last Action Switcher comes as close to any app we’ve seen yet to smoothing the process or working with more than one app at a time. With a tiny footprint and little battery use, it is close to becoming an essential Android utility.
[wp-review]
Download: LAS: Last App Switcher