14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s Garage project saw its first results last year, and interestingly enough, the first applications that were released were aimed at the Android platform.
For example, the Next Lock Screen is an Android app developed by Microsoft, which allows users to see their calendar, missed calls, text messages and many more, all at a glance.
Microsoft might not like Android much, as after all it killed off Nokia’s attempt at making Android phones not too long after they had acquired the company, but Redmond has recognized the importance of developing for this platform and it is trying to infiltrate the enemy lines as much as it can.
Speaking of which, Microsoft has recently acquired another Android app called Echo. It seems that the Redmond giant is developing a sweet tooth for Android launchers, because Echo offers pretty much the same set of features as the Next Lock Screen.
So, basically, Microsoft will have not one but two Android launchers from now on. Which seems a little bit redundant, don’t you think?
Microsoft wants you to be able to personalize your Android lockscreen with what's important
Microsoft’s Chief Experience Officer Julie Larson-Green disagrees. Talking to Business Insider, the official says that the acquisition is all in the name of “[taking] productivity to the next level and [keeping] you in the moment.”
She goes on to explain that what default lockscreens for iOS, Android and Windows Phone lack are the personalization options. Basically, they show what the apps want you to know, not what really matters to you.
So Larson-Green’s job is to come up with novel ways for Echo to access information both in contextual and personal ways. Since Android is a lofty platform that has a big number of users attached to it, Microsoft considers it perfect for experimentation.
Larson-Green also makes a point of highlighting that Echo will continue to be a standalone app like Next. This will allow Microsoft to ensure that if such features make their way into Windows 10 in the future, they will not be half-baked in.
At this point, it isn’t exactly clear whether Microsoft plans to merge the two applications at some point in the near future. We’ll just have to wait and see.
