14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just launched a new stable version of its Android launcher after previously trying out the improvements that it includes as part of several beta builds published in the last few weeks.
Microsoft Launcher 4.9 comes with several improvements, though we’d say that it’s not a major upgrade, but more of an evolution of the app.
For example, the launcher includes an improved Home screen import logic, which technically means that moving from a similar app to Microsoft’s should be a much smoother process because all data is imported automatically more effectively.
Additionally, this new version comes with options targeting mostly users who want to keep things organized on their Android phones. First and foremost, there’s support for alphabetical app sorting in folders, which was missing until now, despite being a feature that really makes sense.
New gestures
Then, Microsoft now allows users to enable display names for apps and folders in the dock, again a feature that should have been there from the very beginning, but which was missing for no reason. These two should also score extra in terms of usability, despite them not making a significant impact when it comes to customization.
Additionally, the new Microsoft Launcher version includes two new gestures. Users can now customize the gesture for pressing the Home button from the home screen, with quite a lot of options available, like apps and shortcuts. You can choose between opening the app drawer, expanding notifications or quick settings, screen lock, expanding the dock, or opening the assistant.
There is also a new gesture option to quickly lock the home screen, and by default it is configured to a double tap on the screen.
You can download the latest Microsoft Launcher APK for Android from Softpedia right away to try out all of the above on your phone as well.
