This Android launcher jogs my memory of Home windows Cellphone in the very best method

I’ve a confession to make: I wasn’t an Android cellphone fan at first. I wasn’t an iPhone fanatic, both. As an alternative, I used to be a full-fledged Home windows Cellphone disciple. I completely liked the Metro UI, that includes a recent, tile-based interface that popped on an OLED display screen. I liked the interface and cameras a lot that I purchased a Lumia 1020 and a Lumia 950. 

I’ve recognized about Android launchers that emulate this Home windows Cellphone search for years now, and briefly dabbled with them again within the day. However my Home windows Cellphone itch is stronger than ever, and I discovered two launchers that got here closest to scratching it. After each Sq. Residence and Launcher 10 on my Pixel cellphone (sacrilege, I do know), I in the end settled on the previous.

Each launchers do an important job of emulating the Home windows Cellphone expertise from a visible perspective. I’d give the sting to Launcher 10 for its app drawer design specifically, however I selected Sq. Residence for a number of causes.

Maybe the largest motive is that Reside Tiles can be found free of charge right here, whereas Launcher 10 requires fee to unlock them. For the uninitiated, Reside Tiles have been Microsoft’s reply to widgets on Android, providing sq. or rectangular tiles that consistently displayed updates and different data. For instance, you would see missed calls within the cellphone tile, notifications within the Fb tile, and your favourite images within the images tile.

Sq. Residence primarily populates the Reside Tiles with data pulled out of your notifications, and this clearly requires your permission. It’s nonetheless a sensible option to carry these tiles to life, and also you’ll get data like Gmail snippets, calendar entries, and extra. I additionally fairly just like the media widget stay tile that pops up, which is derived from the media widget within the notification shade. And sure, you possibly can truly work together with the media controls. In one other neat contact, the previous platform’s flipping tiles are right here, too, exhibiting you totally different nuggets of information. It’s also possible to make these tiles clear to point out your wallpaper, very like later variations of Microsoft’s platform. So I by no means actually felt like I used to be lacking out in a giant method.

The launcher additionally gained me over with its tile changes. Microsoft allowed Home windows Cellphone customers to regulate the dimensions of those tiles, going from the common dimension to one-quarter dimension to double-wide. Sq. Residence permits you to intuitively modify a tile’s dimension by long-pressing the tile, very like Home windows Cellphone itself (and with just a few additional dimension choices too). Launcher 10 provides granular dimension changes with sliders by default, however it’s not almost as intuitive and acquainted in case you’re a Home windows Cellphone fan like me. Fortunately, you possibly can dig just a little deeper in Sq. Residence if you would like extra detailed changes too.

I additionally respect Sq. Residence’s very affordable fee choices. You may select to pay $1 a yr or make a one-time fee of $6. I do know many corporations ditched one-time purchases due to greed monetary causes, however I’m glad to see this feature right here. In saying so, the staff doesn’t adequately convey the advantages of paying for premium on its web site or Play Retailer itemizing. Nonetheless, it looks as if settings with inexperienced icons are paid additions. These embrace superior animations, media controller performance, numerous gestures, and your alternative of font.

One other level in Sq. Residence’s favor is its ad-free nature. There’s completely nothing mistaken with providing an ad-supported app, and Launcher 10 could be very restrained in its method (seemingly restricted to the settings menu, whereas letting you pay to do away with them), however it’s good to have an ad-free expertise out of the field. 

Sq. Residence’s listing of options doesn’t cease right here. It provides a customizable app drawer, wallpaper-based colour theming, assist for tablets and foldable telephones, and Personal House assist. The staff not too long ago up to date the app to repair points with widgets in One UI 7 too, so the builders are nonetheless actively fixing issues in spite of everything this time.

I can assume of some small areas of enchancment for Sq. Residence, although, equivalent to improved dealing with of third-party widgets and extra preset tile colours. However these are comparatively insignificant wishlist objects, and we positively have a full-featured expertise.

Though the Home windows Cellphone ship sailed a very long time in the past, I’m glad to see that the neighborhood has picked up the baton and sprinted with it. I’m positively a fan of Sq. Residence, however each of those launchers are nice methods to successfully emulate that have. Now, about Microsoft constructing its personal Home windows Cellphone launcher for Android.