> click and page through a giant iPhone screen

1. Launchpad filters based on what you type. You don't have to page through things 2. As soon as you type anything, the first hit is selected and the return key launches it 3. Launchpad shows nothing but apps. As an app launcher, it's fantastic.

If Launchpad is gone I'm going to be sad.

Launchpad is not actually gone: it's now a sub-unit of Spotlight.

I still have an M1 Macbook Pro with touch strip, and my Launchpad touch strip button still works, bringing up Spotlight but with a predicate that makes it search only ./Applications and ~/Applications.