Google has been spending the last few updates getting Google Search and Google Now upgraded for Android devices and there is another one coming that could bring new features to both of the pre-loaded applications. Google Now is a virtual assistant type application that is one of the main features on the brand new Nexus 5 smartphone. The application was first called the Google Experience Launcher and now it looks like the company might add it to the Google Play Store soon. A “launcher” is a bit of software that takes over the look and feel of your home screen, much like a custom user interface would.
The new launcher would give just about everyone with an Android device the ability to have a custom, popular home screen bringing the classic Android look to devices that do not have Google Now pre-loaded. If you have a Samsung or HTC device that comes with a custom user interface, you could essentially have the Google Now Launcher load right over the top of that. You could also plop down hundreds of dollars and get the Google Edition of your device which will come with the standard Android experience, but the odds are good this launcher will be much cheaper.
This week, Google Search was updated and the new software brought a new bug fixes as well as some small changes. The changelog that was posted by Google did not mention the Google Now Launcher, which has become exclusive to the Nexus 5 at this point. The Launcher brings a unique look to the Nexus 5 and that includes larger icons and moves the left swipe to Google Now to the left side of the display rather than the bottom. Because the Google Now application has become so popular, the company can see the benefit of having it on all Android devices.
The Google Now Launcher will import all of your app icons from the current home screen experience over to the new launcher, so the process is very simple and requires very little from the user at this point. All of your home screens will be the same and that keeps you from having to set them back up the way you want them. New rumors indicate that Google could scrap the Nexus brand and just release Google Edition’s of devices, but that has yet to be confirmed by Google.
