If there’s one thing Android users can’t complain about, it’s choosing launchers. In addition to the numerous launcher projects, each smartphone manufacturer also has its own interface – and now another one is being added. The soon-to-be smartphone newcomer Nothing has now launched the Nothing Launcher as a beta and now offers it for some Pixel and Samsung users to download.
The Android operating system comes with a standard launcher that offers all the necessary functions. However, this is hardly used, because every smartphone manufacturer has its own adapted version – such as Google the Pixel Launcher. In addition, there are numerous smaller and larger projects that offer their interface for launching apps, managing home screens and widgets as well as some additional functions for free in the Google Play Store.
The first Nothing smartphone will soon be launched on the market and the first version of the Nothing Launcher has already been released. This is kept very simple, but has the well-known imagery of Nothing – namely the dotted or pixelated letters. This is a matter of taste and does not have to please everyone, but you will see them in the time widget, the weather widget and some other places in the launcher. It can also be found in the app settings of the launcher.
The launcher currently offers only one previously known additional function: App icons and folders can be “inflated” by a long tap, so that they take up more space on the home screen. That’s a nice effect, but certainly not something you’ll use from time to time. Otherwise, it is a launcher very focused on the basics. Keep in mind that it is the beta of the first version and that the corresponding smartphone is not yet on the market.
The Nothing Launcher is available for free download from the Google Play Store and can currently be installed on the Pixel 5 smartphones, Pixel 6 smartphones and the Samsung smartphones Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 including offshoots. That’s it for compatibility. Significantly, the launcher can’t be used on OnePlus smartphones (although both companies have the same founder). But this criticism is taken out of the sails in advance and announces an early availability.
The fact that the launcher is already offered before the smartphone and opens it up to other smartphone brands right from the start is already a small surprise. Unfortunately, this is also the only surprise the browser has to offer. Let’s hope that the smartphone offers a little more extras. I’m not creative enough, but something with transparency might have been brought into the launcher to lean on Nothing’s current corporate identity.