It looks like the next-generation version of Microsoft Launcher that Microsoft previewed in January is finally heading to Beta as version 6.
News of this milestone comes via Dr. Windows. I discovered that link via Neowin.
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As a backgrounder, Microsoft split development of the Microsoft Launcher, its Android launcher, into two tracks back in January, with the Microsoft Launcher Preview being completely rebuilt from scratch and providing an early peek at the launcher we’ll probably get with Surface Duo.
Since then, it’s made minor updates to the shipping version of Microsoft Launcher, which is version 5.x, and has improved the Preview version to add back features from 5.x. And now it looks like the Preview version will be branded as version 6.
I’m curious to see the latest version, but it’s unclear if there are any major changes. Neowin, for example, only notes that many of the icons have been updated.
To get the Microsoft Launcher 6 Beta, you have to enroll in the Beta. To do so, install Microsoft Launcher 5.x; you’ll find an option to join the Beta in the app.
dftf
<p>Can't say personally I see any real reason to use it.</p><p><br></p><p>Clearly there was a market for people who liked Windows Phone because of the tile-based UI, and this launcher doesn't in any-way try to replicate that. The home-screen looks very-similar to the Pixel launcher, with the search-bar at the bottom. Timeline probably won't be used by that many people. And in-terms of customisation, there are other Launcher apps on the market that offer way-more you can alter. And all of the Microsoft apps you get with it can all just be installed on any recent Android OS phone manually.</p><p><br></p><p>If they had released a launcher that replicated the old Windows Phone 10 UI I could see a market for that, as a way of appeasing their old fans, but this just comes-over as a "me-too" effort.</p><p><br></p><p>I guess for people who really love Bing and want a search bar for it on their home-screen then this is the launcher for them, but for everyone else …?</p>