First beta version of build 5.0 is now up for grabs

Oct 3, 2018 07:37 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has started working on the next major update for Microsoft Launcher on Android, and today the first beta build is available for download.

Microsoft Launcher 5.0 will bring major improvements for the software giant’s Android launcher, including support for Timeline.

Windows Timeline is a feature that first debuted on Windows 10 with the debut of the October 2018 Update, and it lets users create snapshots of running apps and websites and return them at any given moment within the next 30 days.

With this new update, Microsoft Launcher lets users see activities from the PC and phone to be displayed right in the launcher in the Timeline section.

Launcher 5.0 also comes with improvements for the feed, as the navigation has been overhauled with refined support for Glance, News, and Timeline tabs. Feed settings can now be accessed from the top of the Feed.

“The team's been working long and hard to bring you the next major update to Microsoft Launcher, v5.0. This release is specifically focused on making the Launcher Feed the best place to quickly access your most important things on your phone plus some other minor improvements,” Ezra Park, Product Manager at Microsoft and working on Microsoft Launcher, explained.

Cortana improvements

Additionally, this new version introduces an updated news experience that’s now powered by Microsoft News, but also Cortana improvements with support for multi-turn emailing. Furthermore, the digital assistant is now available in the DE-DE format.

There are also smaller refinements and improvements for wallpaper, stability, and performance issues, so the Launcher should run smoothly on all devices.

You can download the first beta version of Microsoft Launcher 5.0 for Android from Softpedia using this link. Keep in mind, however, that given it’s still in development, some bugs could be encountered. There’s no ETA for the stable release of Launcher 5 for the time being.

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