diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
deleted file mode 100644
index d4f995d..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 9013c1a..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-hdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 6e924ec..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 33d0edd..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-mdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 20c85e6..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 58a1ca0..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 9d3dc31..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 7fb248b..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 49ec7aa..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_left.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png b/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
deleted file mode 100644
index a8922e2..0000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/recents_horizontal_scrim_right.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/quickstep/res/layout/overview_panel.xml b/quickstep/res/layout/overview_panel.xml
index e2f9ba8..89e0571 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/layout/overview_panel.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/layout/overview_panel.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
     android:clipChildren="false"
     android:clipToPadding="false"
-    android:alpha="0.0"
     android:visibility="invisible"
     android:focusableInTouchMode="true" >
 
diff --git a/quickstep/res/values/dimens.xml b/quickstep/res/values/dimens.xml
index e61e359..b751e0d 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
     <dimen name="task_corner_radius">2dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="task_fade_length">20dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="recents_page_spacing">10dp</dimen>
-    <dimen name="recents_page_fade_length">100dp</dimen>
 
     <!-- The speed in dp/s at which the user needs to be scrolling in recents such that we start
              loading full resolution screenshots. -->
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/OverviewState.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/OverviewState.java
index 52faa51..4b2763b 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/OverviewState.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/OverviewState.java
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@
     @Override
     public int getVisibleElements(Launcher launcher) {
         if (launcher.getDeviceProfile().isVerticalBarLayout()) {
-            // TODO: Remove hotseat from overview
-            return HOTSEAT_ICONS;
+            return NONE;
         } else {
             return HOTSEAT_SEARCH_BOX | DRAG_HANDLE_INDICATOR |
                     (launcher.getAppsView().getFloatingHeaderView().hasVisibleContent()
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/RecentsViewStateController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/RecentsViewStateController.java
index b993c3c..d8f206c 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/RecentsViewStateController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/RecentsViewStateController.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import static com.android.launcher3.compat.AccessibilityManagerCompat.isAccessibilityEnabled;
 import static com.android.quickstep.views.LauncherRecentsView.TRANSLATION_X_FACTOR;
 import static com.android.quickstep.views.LauncherRecentsView.TRANSLATION_Y_FACTOR;
+import static com.android.quickstep.views.RecentsView.CONTENT_ALPHA;
 
 import android.animation.ValueAnimator;
 import android.annotation.TargetApi;
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void setState(LauncherState state) {
-        mRecentsView.setAlpha(state.overviewUi ? 1 : 0);
+        mRecentsView.setContentAlpha(state.overviewUi ? 1 : 0);
         updateVisibility(mRecentsView, isAccessibilityEnabled(mLauncher));
         float[] translationFactor = state.getOverviewTranslationFactor(mLauncher);
         mRecentsView.setTranslationXFactor(translationFactor[0]);
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@
         setter.setFloat(mRecentsView, TRANSLATION_Y_FACTOR,
                 translationFactor[1],
                 builder.getInterpolator(ANIM_OVERVIEW_TRANSLATION, LINEAR));
-        setter.setViewAlpha(mRecentsView, toState.overviewUi ? 1 : 0, LINEAR);
+        setter.setFloat(mRecentsView, CONTENT_ALPHA, toState.overviewUi ? 1 : 0, LINEAR);
 
         if (toState.overviewUi) {
             ValueAnimator updateAnim = ValueAnimator.ofFloat(0, 1);
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/RecentsModel.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/RecentsModel.java
index 392b73f..1e43202 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/RecentsModel.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/RecentsModel.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import android.support.annotation.WorkerThread;
 import android.util.LruCache;
 import android.util.SparseArray;
+import android.view.accessibility.AccessibilityManager;
 
 import com.android.launcher3.MainThreadExecutor;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@
     private ISystemUiProxy mSystemUiProxy;
     private boolean mClearAssistCacheOnStackChange = true;
     private final boolean mPreloadTasksInBackground;
+    private final AccessibilityManager mAccessibilityManager;
 
     private RecentsModel(Context context) {
         mContext = context;
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@
 
         mTaskChangeId = 1;
         loadTasks(-1, null);
+        mAccessibilityManager = context.getSystemService(AccessibilityManager.class);
     }
 
     public RecentsTaskLoader getRecentsTaskLoader() {
@@ -140,7 +143,7 @@
             // Preload the plan
             RecentsTaskLoadPlan loadPlan = new RecentsTaskLoadPlan(mContext);
             PreloadOptions opts = new PreloadOptions();
-            opts.loadTitles = false;
+            opts.loadTitles = mAccessibilityManager.isEnabled();
             loadPlan.preloadPlan(opts, mRecentsTaskLoader, taskId, UserHandle.myUserId());
             // Set the load plan on UI thread
             mMainThreadExecutor.execute(() -> {
@@ -187,7 +190,7 @@
         launchOpts.onlyLoadPausedActivities = true;
         launchOpts.loadThumbnails = true;
         PreloadOptions preloadOpts = new PreloadOptions();
-        preloadOpts.loadTitles = false;
+        preloadOpts.loadTitles = mAccessibilityManager.isEnabled();
         plan.preloadPlan(preloadOpts, mRecentsTaskLoader, -1, userId);
         mRecentsTaskLoader.loadTasks(plan, launchOpts);
     }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskSystemShortcut.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskSystemShortcut.java
index 08be0c8..2ebf252 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskSystemShortcut.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskSystemShortcut.java
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 
 package com.android.quickstep;
 
-import static com.android.launcher3.anim.Interpolators.FAST_OUT_SLOW_IN;
-
 import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
@@ -37,7 +35,6 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.ItemInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
 import com.android.launcher3.ShortcutInfo;
-import com.android.launcher3.anim.AnimatorPlaybackController;
 import com.android.launcher3.popup.SystemShortcut;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.InstantAppResolver;
 import com.android.quickstep.views.RecentsView;
@@ -62,7 +59,6 @@
 public class TaskSystemShortcut<T extends SystemShortcut> extends SystemShortcut {
 
     private static final String TAG = "TaskSystemShortcut";
-    private static final int DISMISS_TASK_DURATION = 300;
 
     protected T mSystemShortcut;
 
@@ -206,14 +202,7 @@
             mRecentsView.removeIgnoreResetTask(mTaskView);
 
             // Start animating in the side pages once launcher has been resized
-            PendingAnimation pendingAnim = mRecentsView.createTaskDismissAnimation(mTaskView,
-                    false, false, DISMISS_TASK_DURATION);
-            AnimatorPlaybackController controller = AnimatorPlaybackController.wrap(
-                    pendingAnim.anim, DISMISS_TASK_DURATION);
-            controller.dispatchOnStart();
-            controller.setEndAction(() -> pendingAnim.finish(true));
-            controller.getAnimationPlayer().setInterpolator(FAST_OUT_SLOW_IN);
-            controller.start();
+            mRecentsView.dismissTask(mTaskView, false, false);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
index 130d34c..861b5fa 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
@@ -19,18 +19,7 @@
 
 import android.annotation.TargetApi;
 import android.content.Context;
-import android.graphics.Bitmap;
-import android.graphics.BitmapShader;
-import android.graphics.Canvas;
-import android.graphics.Matrix;
-import android.graphics.Paint;
-import android.graphics.PorterDuff.Mode;
-import android.graphics.PorterDuffXfermode;
 import android.graphics.Rect;
-import android.graphics.Shader;
-import android.graphics.Shader.TileMode;
-import android.graphics.drawable.BitmapDrawable;
-import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.FloatProperty;
@@ -75,12 +64,6 @@
                 }
             };
 
-    private Bitmap mScrim;
-    private Paint mFadePaint;
-    private Shader mFadeShader;
-    private Matrix mFadeMatrix;
-    private boolean mScrimOnLeft;
-
     private float mTranslationXFactor;
     private float mTranslationYFactor;
     private Rect mPagePadding = new Rect();
@@ -95,6 +78,7 @@
 
     public LauncherRecentsView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {
         super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
+        setContentAlpha(0);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -109,60 +93,6 @@
         setPadding(padding.left, padding.top, padding.right, 0);
         mPagePadding.set(padding);
         mPagePadding.top += getResources().getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.task_thumbnail_top_margin);
-
-        if (dp.isVerticalBarLayout()) {
-            boolean wasScrimOnLeft = mScrimOnLeft;
-            mScrimOnLeft = dp.isSeascape();
-
-            if (mScrim == null || wasScrimOnLeft != mScrimOnLeft) {
-                Drawable scrim = getContext().getDrawable(mScrimOnLeft
-                        ? R.drawable.recents_horizontal_scrim_left
-                        : R.drawable.recents_horizontal_scrim_right);
-                if (scrim instanceof BitmapDrawable) {
-                    mScrim = ((BitmapDrawable) scrim).getBitmap();
-                    mFadePaint = new Paint();
-                    mFadePaint.setXfermode(new PorterDuffXfermode(Mode.DST_IN));
-                    mFadeShader = new BitmapShader(mScrim, TileMode.CLAMP, TileMode.REPEAT);
-                    mFadeMatrix = new Matrix();
-                } else {
-                    mScrim = null;
-                }
-            }
-        } else {
-            mScrim = null;
-            mFadePaint = null;
-            mFadeShader = null;
-            mFadeMatrix = null;
-        }
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public void draw(Canvas canvas) {
-        if (mScrim == null) {
-            super.draw(canvas);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        final int flags = Canvas.HAS_ALPHA_LAYER_SAVE_FLAG;
-
-        int length = mScrim.getWidth();
-        int height = getHeight();
-        int saveCount = canvas.getSaveCount();
-
-        int scrimLeft;
-        if (mScrimOnLeft) {
-            scrimLeft = getScrollX();
-        } else {
-            scrimLeft = getScrollX() + getWidth() - length;
-        }
-        canvas.saveLayer(scrimLeft, 0, scrimLeft + length, height, null, flags);
-        super.draw(canvas);
-
-        mFadeMatrix.setTranslate(scrimLeft, 0);
-        mFadeShader.setLocalMatrix(mFadeMatrix);
-        mFadePaint.setShader(mFadeShader);
-        canvas.drawRect(scrimLeft, 0, scrimLeft + length, height, mFadePaint);
-        canvas.restoreToCount(saveCount);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
index db82286..8901e6d 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import static com.android.launcher3.anim.Interpolators.ACCEL;
 import static com.android.launcher3.anim.Interpolators.ACCEL_2;
+import static com.android.launcher3.anim.Interpolators.FAST_OUT_SLOW_IN;
 import static com.android.launcher3.anim.Interpolators.LINEAR;
 
 import android.animation.AnimatorSet;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.util.ArraySet;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.util.FloatProperty;
 import android.util.SparseBooleanArray;
 import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.PagedView;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
 import com.android.launcher3.Utilities;
+import com.android.launcher3.anim.AnimatorPlaybackController;
 import com.android.launcher3.config.FeatureFlags;
 import com.android.quickstep.PendingAnimation;
 import com.android.quickstep.QuickScrubController;
@@ -64,7 +67,23 @@
 public abstract class RecentsView<T extends BaseActivity>
         extends PagedView implements OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener {
 
+    public static final FloatProperty<RecentsView> CONTENT_ALPHA =
+            new FloatProperty<RecentsView>("contentAlpha") {
+
+
+        @Override
+        public void setValue(RecentsView recentsView, float v) {
+            recentsView.setContentAlpha(v);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Float get(RecentsView recentsView) {
+            return recentsView.mContentAlpha;
+        }
+    };
+
     private static final String PREF_FLIP_RECENTS = "pref_flip_recents";
+    private static final int DISMISS_TASK_DURATION = 300;
 
     private static final Rect sTempStableInsets = new Rect();
 
@@ -106,6 +125,8 @@
 
     private PendingAnimation mPendingAnimation;
 
+    private float mContentAlpha = 1;
+
     // Keeps track of task views whose visual state should not be reset
     private ArraySet<TaskView> mIgnoreResetTaskViews = new ArraySet<>();
 
@@ -302,12 +323,10 @@
 
         float overviewHeight, overviewWidth;
         if (profile.isVerticalBarLayout()) {
-            float scrimLength = context.getResources()
-                    .getDimension(R.dimen.recents_page_fade_length);
             float maxPadding = Math.max(padding.left, padding.right);
 
             // Use the same padding on both sides for symmetry.
-            float availableWidth = taskWidth - 2 * Math.max(maxPadding, scrimLength);
+            float availableWidth = taskWidth - 2 * maxPadding;
             float availableHeight = profile.availableHeightPx - padding.top - padding.bottom
                     - sTempStableInsets.top;
             float scaledRatio = Math.min(availableWidth / taskWidth, availableHeight / taskHeight);
@@ -623,6 +642,17 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public void dismissTask(TaskView taskView, boolean animateTaskView, boolean removeTask) {
+        PendingAnimation pendingAnim = createTaskDismissAnimation(taskView, animateTaskView,
+                removeTask, DISMISS_TASK_DURATION);
+        AnimatorPlaybackController controller = AnimatorPlaybackController.wrap(
+                pendingAnim.anim, DISMISS_TASK_DURATION);
+        controller.dispatchOnStart();
+        controller.setEndAction(() -> pendingAnim.finish(true));
+        controller.getAnimationPlayer().setInterpolator(FAST_OUT_SLOW_IN);
+        controller.start();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean dispatchKeyEvent(KeyEvent event) {
         if (event.getAction() == KeyEvent.ACTION_DOWN) {
@@ -636,6 +666,18 @@
                 case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DPAD_LEFT:
                     snapToPageRelative(mIsRtl ? 1 : -1);
                     return true;
+                case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DEL:
+                case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_FORWARD_DEL:
+                    dismissTask((TaskView) getChildAt(getNextPage()), true /*animateTaskView*/,
+                            true /*removeTask*/);
+                    return true;
+                case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_NUMPAD_DOT:
+                    if (event.isAltPressed()) {
+                        // Numpad DEL pressed while holding Alt.
+                        dismissTask((TaskView) getChildAt(getNextPage()), true /*animateTaskView*/,
+                                true /*removeTask*/);
+                        return true;
+                    }
             }
         }
         return super.dispatchKeyEvent(event);
@@ -649,4 +691,21 @@
         final TaskView nextTask = (TaskView) getChildAt(getNextPage());
         nextTask.launchTask(true);
     }
+
+    public void setContentAlpha(float alpha) {
+        if (mContentAlpha == alpha) {
+            return;
+        }
+        mContentAlpha = alpha;
+        for (int i = getChildCount() - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+            getChildAt(i).setAlpha(alpha);
+        }
+        setVisibility(alpha > 0 ? VISIBLE : GONE);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onViewAdded(View child) {
+        super.onViewAdded(child);
+        child.setAlpha(mContentAlpha);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
index 7de1600..9884a48 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@
         mTask = task;
         mSnapshotView.bind();
         task.addCallback(this);
+        setContentDescription(task.titleDescription);
     }
 
     public Task getTask() {
@@ -176,6 +177,12 @@
         setScaleY(scale);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean hasOverlappingRendering() {
+        // TODO: Clip-out the icon region from the thumbnail, since they are overlapping.
+        return false;
+    }
+
     private static final class TaskOutlineProvider extends ViewOutlineProvider {
 
         private final int mMarginTop;
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/PagedView.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/PagedView.java
index 9eff84b..a1ac122 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/PagedView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/PagedView.java
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@
         mMinFlingVelocity = (int) (MIN_FLING_VELOCITY * density);
         mMinSnapVelocity = (int) (MIN_SNAP_VELOCITY * density);
         setWillNotDraw(false);
+
+        if (Utilities.ATLEAST_OREO) {
+            setDefaultFocusHighlightEnabled(false);
+        }
     }
 
     protected void setDefaultInterpolator(Interpolator interpolator) {