Android P’s ‘actions’ and ‘slices’ are a whole new way to use mobile apps
https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/8/17328004/android-p-action-slice-ui-design-app-deep-linking-google-io-2018
With Android P, Google is taking an ambitious approach to its user interface design with two new concepts it’s introducing to developers today: “Actions” and “Slices.” Described in detail onstage at the company’s I/O developer conference keynote this morning, Actions and Slices are ways for third-party app features and even visual design to permeate parts of the Android OS, most notably in search and within Google Assistant.
Actions are like shortcuts or recipes, similar to the action terminology Google created for Assistant (or an Alexa Skill created by Amazon), that let a user quickly access a deeper function of an app with the touch of a button or a voice command. Some examples here could be calling a Lyft ride home or reordering your favorite meal from a take-out restaurant. Google says Actions can be created for any third-party app and they’ll live in Android P’s search bar, in the Play Store, within Assistant, and in customizable fashion on your home screen.