Top 10 Android Launchers
The one thing that android fanboys can enjoy that iOS folks cannot even dream of is the customization of the home screen.
We
are not talking about just changing the home and lockscreen wallpaper
here, we are talking about changing the entire look and feel of your
device.
So without further ado, let’s get right in to the list of top 10 launchers for Android!
10. ESPIER LAUNCHER
If
for some crazy reason you wish to style your phone as an iOS 7 device
then look no further than Espier Launcher. This launcher for Android
along with its add-ons can transform your entire device to a near
complete copy of iOS 7, complete with slide up toggles and notification
bar. However, unlike iOS you have the freedom to customize your screens
with icon packs, wallpapers etc. The launcher is also versatile in the
sense that it can also be used to make other custom themes that are not
iOS related.
09. LAUNCHER 8
Next
we have a launcher that aims to mimic the Windows Phone OS. Personally I
believe that this launcher for Android is infact better than windows
phone as it has the look of the aforementioned OS along with the
functionality and customizability commonly found in the Android
ecosystem. The launcher comes packed with features such as live tiles,
the windows phone lockscreen and app list as well as the ability to
customise the tiles. All in all Launcher 8 provides a more than decent
windows phone experience but still needs to be polished more before it
can earn a higher rank on this list.
08. SMART LAUNCHER 2
This
launcher for Android earned itself quite a bit of hype early on as it
emphasized on simplicity and speed of access to apps. There is only one
homescreen that simply displays the time along with a ring of pre
selected applications. Swipe from left to right and you enter page where
all your apps are displayed. Now conveniently, the apps are
automatically organised into set categories such as games or internet so
that the user can access whatever he/she needs as fast as possible. The
categories list itself can be scrolled through with much ease. To cap
it all off, the launcher comes pre-loaded with decent wallpapers and has
an assortment of themes available for free on the play store.
07. ATOM LAUNCHER
Atom
Launcher provides users with ease of customization along with access
to a dedicated store for the launcher. Atom launcher comes with its own
set of widgets and also has a companion locker application. This
launcher for Android is smooth, responsive and has some nice add-ons
that make the user interface a lot more appealing. The launcher takes a
minimalistic approach in the sense that it prefers to use single
coloured themes over extravagant 3D effects. The colour theme can also
be easily changed to suit your taste. Another unique feature to Atom
launcher is the ability to make custom themes where each time you unlock
your device, a different wallpaper will appear.
06. GO LAUNCHER EX
If
you have tried your hand at custom launchers for android then chances
are you have come across Go Launcher EX. Arguably one of the most
popular launchers available, Go Launcher is characterised by its
countless number of available themes and easy to use user interface.
This launcher for android is famous mostly because of the sheer number
of themes that are available to customize your device. This coupled with
Go Launcher’s vast ecosystem of companion apps makes for a very good
and unionised launcher experience.
05. AVIATE BETA
Recently bought by Yahoo, Aviate is
another launcher for android that focuses more on simplicity rather
than customizability. You have a main home screen that displays your pre
selected apps on the bottom and uses the rest of the screen real-estate
to display widgets. Simple enough right? But Aviate brings more to the
table, the developers don’t just want you to access apps quickly, but
they aim to show you what apps you need based on where you are and what
you are doing. For example if you are at work, aviate will detect that
you are at your workplace and display applications that you have pre set
for work such as Any.do or Evernote. Similarly if you change places and
are on the move, Aviate automatically changes the contents of your home
screen to display whatever apps are best suited for your activities.
The app is still in beta mode though and lacks the ability to customize,
only recently it was updated so that icon packs could be applied. Still
Aviate is an app worth hitting up as it is honestly very useful and
intuitive. Might even pack the award of being one of the best Android
launchers around.
04. BUZZ LAUNCHER
Want
unique themes for your phone but are too lazy to make them yourself?
Buzz Launcher is the solution to all your problems! Buzz Launcher allows
you to create and share your custom themes with people around the
globe. If you are too lazy to do the customizing yourself then simply
choose from a wide array of cool themes made and shared by other people.
What makes Buzz Launcher unique is that no two themes are alike, each
one is different. Along with the customization options, you get a pretty
good user interface that is nothing extraordinary but certainly is
simple and intuitive. In the hindsight, Buzz Launcher may at times feel a
bit buggy.
Download03. DODOL LAUNCHER
Dodol
launcher is cool. Why? Because it comes packing cool features right out
of the box. Many launchers out there in the Play Store do not come with
good default settings, infact people begin changing things from the
moment they open the application. Dodol launcher gives you a neat look
right off the bat and comes with some built in perks such as the RAM
cleaner which shuts down active background processes with just a tap.
The widgets and applications can be easily themed with the help of the
theme store, aside from that the colour palette can also be changed
accordingly. Dodol launcher also has a quick launch feature in you
notifications panel which basically allows users to launch some pre
selected apps from there. As expected from a launcher this high up in
the list, Dodol is fast, smooth and has few noticeable bugs. As a bonus,
Dodol also has a great Locker application. For something not too fancy,
Dodol launcher fits the bill of a sleek, customizable launcher that is
easy to use and has great features.
02. NOVA LAUNCHER
Nova
Launcher is one of the most popular and highly rated launchers
available in the Google Play store and it is for good reason. Nova
Launcher is FAST! Like brilliantly fast, infact there is a setting that
allows you to control how fast it works. If there is ever a launcher
that wants to top the scales and be the best, than Nova is the guy to
beat. It has set the bar very high and stands true to its promise of
speed and quality. Nova allows you to customize your homescreens, icons,
transition animations etc It offers what any other launcher does but it
provides users that with great fluidity and optimization. After using
this speed demon, other launchers just feel slow and laggy. But if this
IS the launcher to beat, who claimed the #1 spot?
01. TSF SHELL 3D LAUNCHER
Bottom
line, this is hands down the ultimate launcher for android,the
humdinger, the creme-de-la-creme. End of story. There is no launcher out
there that can rival TSF Shell, it is simply one of the best Android
launchers. TSF Shell provides users with the pinnacle of usefulness
combined with the coolest effects and freedom of customization. Its
sheer number of features cannot be outlined within this small paragraph.
TSF Shell has the most creative and interactive user interface I have
ever seen, it is polished, fast and just looks too darn good. Its
companion widgets are unrivaled, each is three dimensional and has cool
animations. Sadly, TSF Shell is NOT free and currently costs $11.46.
Still, take my word for it, there is no launcher better than TSF Shell
and if you can afford to pay for it, then it will be money well spent.
Honourable Mentions:
Holo Launcher | Solo Launcher | Next Launcher | Apex Launcher | Action Launcher
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