Android Launchers & the App Layer. Part 1

Android Launchers are a great way to customize your Android device and gives users more control over their experience. Custom icons, wallpapers and the ability to customize the UI is table stakes for most launchers. But the best launchers give you something far more valuable – Platform Choice!

Suddenly your experience is portable. Lose your device or buy a new one from another OEM? No problem, just install your launcher with a saved backup of your apps, games, preferences, launcher customization and you’re ready to go.

Why is this important? Because today with Apple and Google as the only two mobile platform owners forcing their default apps on their users out of the box, a launcher is a top down approach. The bottom layer being your the OS layer and the top layer being the Apps layer. The OS layer comes from the platform owner and the Apps layer comes from the user and is a reflection of their individual market choices, like what services to subscribe to and what apps to use.

Without the ‘Universal OS Layer’, Launchers offer the next best thing for user’s market choices. They can hide and disable built-in bloat-ware apps and only see the apps they chose themselves. With the ability to backup all of your apps & games you are longer tethered to a specific device, you then have more market freedom and can take your experience with you.

Come back again for Part 2 of Android Launchers & the App Layer.