Android By Russell Holly Dec. 12, 2013 1:04 pm
The latest update to the Google Search app for Android included changes to the Google Experience Launcher that only affect devices Google doesn’t even offer the app on.
Google’s Nexus 5 included something entirely unique to that phone, something that Google said was part of something new they were trying out. The Google Experience Launcher for the Nexus 5 offered a quick swipe to Google Now, pleasingly large icons, and a slight redesign for the basic launcher layout.*[How to install the Google Experience launcher.]
What’s especially curious about this launcher is that technically it is part of the Google Search app, and as a result a significant portion of the code for it exists on millions of Android phones already. All it takes is a simple container app to activate it, and it works great with very few exceptions.
The app wasn’t optimized for tablets at first, and there was no reason to expect that it would be. After all, it was meant for the Nexus 5 and has only officially been made available for that smartphone. The most recent update to the Search app, however, moved things around on tablets to make things look a lot nicer. Instead of what basically looked like a large phone UI, you’ve got the same transparent UI with icons shifted a bit to support landscape view. It’s a relatively small change, but not one that you can even get to on the Nexus 5. This is specifically aimed at tablets, which makes you wonder what Google is up to next.
The Nexus 10 was the only one of Google’s hardware line that didn’t see a refresh this year, despite evidence that Asus*has been working on it for months now. The Google Experience Launcher on the Nexus 10 as a tablet exclusive would set a trend for Google that is likely to upset more users, but since it’s so easy to set it up for yourself there’s not a lot of reason to actually be mad about it. The other possibility is that Google is getting ready to release the Google Experience Launcher as a standalone app, now that they have seen how popular the launcher replacement has been across the Android ecosystem.
Releasing the launcher as a standalone app would be a bold move for Google, as it would enable their users to hide whatever UI is provided by Android OEMs. For years now, hardcore Android fans have wanted the ability to replace stock UI elements with the Google experiences. Whether or not Android 4.4 is the version where that becomes a reality has yet to be seen, but the stage is set and all Google needs to do is pull the trigger.
Now read: The best apps for rooted Android phones
More...
Google’s Nexus 5 included something entirely unique to that phone, something that Google said was part of something new they were trying out. The Google Experience Launcher for the Nexus 5 offered a quick swipe to Google Now, pleasingly large icons, and a slight redesign for the basic launcher layout.*[How to install the Google Experience launcher.]
What’s especially curious about this launcher is that technically it is part of the Google Search app, and as a result a significant portion of the code for it exists on millions of Android phones already. All it takes is a simple container app to activate it, and it works great with very few exceptions.
The app wasn’t optimized for tablets at first, and there was no reason to expect that it would be. After all, it was meant for the Nexus 5 and has only officially been made available for that smartphone. The most recent update to the Search app, however, moved things around on tablets to make things look a lot nicer. Instead of what basically looked like a large phone UI, you’ve got the same transparent UI with icons shifted a bit to support landscape view. It’s a relatively small change, but not one that you can even get to on the Nexus 5. This is specifically aimed at tablets, which makes you wonder what Google is up to next.
The Nexus 10 was the only one of Google’s hardware line that didn’t see a refresh this year, despite evidence that Asus*has been working on it for months now. The Google Experience Launcher on the Nexus 10 as a tablet exclusive would set a trend for Google that is likely to upset more users, but since it’s so easy to set it up for yourself there’s not a lot of reason to actually be mad about it. The other possibility is that Google is getting ready to release the Google Experience Launcher as a standalone app, now that they have seen how popular the launcher replacement has been across the Android ecosystem.
Releasing the launcher as a standalone app would be a bold move for Google, as it would enable their users to hide whatever UI is provided by Android OEMs. For years now, hardcore Android fans have wanted the ability to replace stock UI elements with the Google experiences. Whether or not Android 4.4 is the version where that becomes a reality has yet to be seen, but the stage is set and all Google needs to do is pull the trigger.
Now read: The best apps for rooted Android phones
More...
