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What is a launcher and what is it for? We answer all possible questions

The Android operating system is popular among phone owners largely due to its wide customization options. In other words, you can customize it to suit every taste. One of the reasons why potential buyers turn their attention to smartphones with Android is the ability to change the launcher. What it is? What is it intended for? What benefits can you take advantage of? Which ones are the most popular? We will consider these and other questions in this article.

What is he?

The structure of the Android OS includes system files that are responsible for the performance of other programs and the appearance of the operating system. The launcher is responsible for the last category. In itself, it is a specialized program designed to perform a number of user-defined tasks. It includes a shell (interface) on which program icons, a clock, an icon for working in Wi-Fi or 3G/4G Internet networks, and so on are located. In simpler terms, everything you see after the smartphone is fully launched is what it is.

Software Android provides the ability to change to any other. This is one of the main advantages of the presented operating system. For example, in iOS it is impossible to change the launcher, since the software is closed source. Accordingly, it is almost impossible to influence the location of the menu, clock and other interface elements in any way.

In Android it's the other way around. The creators of the operating system use completely open source code, thanks to which the old interface can either be deactivated or completely removed. By the way, experts do not recommend doing the latter - if a critical error occurs, the device may not start the next time.

Main functions

  • organization of the desktop layout;
  • the ability to ensure the operation of applications that were not originally included in the gadget.

It is thanks to launchers that you can use plugins, mobile games, browsers, office applications, system programs and much more.

Compound

When choosing a new launcher for your smartphone, the user will be offered only one program that needs to be installed. However, it consists of several additional system applications. In older versions of Android it included the following routines:

  • apk – a program for displaying the settings menu and making changes to them;
  • apk – main name (may differ depending on the name of the software product and the name of the developer company);
  • htc-ime.apk – in HTC devices it is responsible for the full operation of the keyboard;
  • framework-res.apk is a system program responsible for the correct execution of shell functions. Consists of several parts;
  • apk is a system program responsible for the correct execution of shell functions. Consists of several parts.

A little history

For the first time, the ability to install unique launchers appeared with the release of firmware version 4.4. The first smartphone in which the manufacturer offered its own instead of the standard one was Google Nexus 5. At that time, the presence of a unique menu was considered a sign of minimalism, high quality and attractiveness. Realizing that a unique shell could turn into a competitive advantage over the products of other brands, manufacturers plunged headlong into developing their own individual interface.

After Google Nexus 5, Sony introduced a new launcher, which still used the old system program SystemUI.apk, which is responsible for displaying settings. However, the appearance of animations, the desktop, the size of icons - all this has been radically redesigned. It is noteworthy that today the company has completely abandoned its development, preferring “naked” Android. Only the signature sounds remained unique, along with which the color schemes in the parameters changed.

The appearance of the main menu is almost completely reminiscent of firmware 4.4. A completely logical question arises: why did the developer make such a decision? It turned out that everything is much simpler than it might seem at first glance. The clean version of the firmware is more convenient, and it works much faster without causing a heavy load on the processor.

Not everyone has the opportunity to purchase the latest smartphone models. Many people want to make their device more individual and diversify the principle of its operation. As a rule, they are simply tired of the usual look of the desktop and do not like outdated animations. It is for this reason that launchers for Android are very popular.

Note! Only inAndroid has the ability to change the appearance of the desktop, icons and animations. To change the appearance of the menu, you need to go to the official applicationPlay Market, go to the website of the developer company, or use an alternative catalog on the Internet. The choice is always yours.

How to download and install a new one

Since stable operation directly affects the performance of the smartphone, it is strongly recommended to download and install it only from the official Play Store catalog. There are a large number of users on the Internet who say that the shell, which was not given a Google certificate of conformity, had a bad effect on the smartphone itself. They got off easy if the problem was only the slow operation of the device. In most situations, installing an uncertified launcher resulted in the transfer of personal information to attackers.

Now let's take a look at the installation procedure. Having launched the Play Market on your smartphone, enter any phrase related to it in the search bar, regardless of the language. The search engine will quickly display a list of available applications. It is noteworthy that the list will only show those programs that your smartphone supports. If there are none in the list, it means that the phone does not support this feature due to the presence of an old version of Android.

Note! Not all launchers are free. The cost of downloading the application is indicated on her personal page. There is a clever life hack - you can download the activated version of the paid program without spending a penny. To do this, just enter the name of the application you like in the search engine and find sites that have the activated version. We strongly recommend that you start downloading only from a website that has positive reviews. Never pay attention to the so-called “fly-by-night” ones, infested with a bunch of viruses. The reasons are already clear.

Each of them differs from each other not only depending on its appearance, but also on a number of other criteria, one of which is the required amount of system memory. Try to choose an application based on the technical capabilities of the device as a whole.

After downloading and installing the new shell, you must click on the “Home” button. A dialog box will pop up on the display with a list containing the name of the downloaded program. Having selected it, you need to click on the “Always” button (provides for the possibility of constantly using the shell). Your new launcher will now launch on its own.

If for one reason or another you don’t like the new version of the menu, you have the opportunity to install a new one at any convenient time. To do this, just go to the operating system settings, select the “Home Screen” menu in the “Device” section. A list of everyone will appear in front of you. Replace it with the standard one. Going back to the main menu, you will see the standard interface. There is no need to reboot your smartphone.

Main advantages

Many people ask the following question: what will such an addition give in practice? The main task of a third-party launcher is to create a more comfortable device interface, without in any way affecting the speed of operation. With the help of extraneous shells, the working environment is more convenient to use. And there are several reasons for this:

  • third-party is characterized by increased stability and smooth operation;
  • Gesture control is supported;
  • working with files is simpler, since most software products presented in the Market have their own file managers;
  • support for a number of additional themes appears;
  • Some options are adapted to make working with social networks more comfortable.