14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new beta build of Microsoft Launcher for Android, as the company begins the testing of another set of new features.
Microsoft Launcher 5.7 beta is now available for download with three major changes, as Microsoft itself explains in the release notes of this update.
First and foremost, Microsoft has moved the feed tabs to the bottom for easier access. While this could be a welcome change for some, it might actually make using feeds less convenient for others, especially on devices with tall aspect ratios.
Then, Microsoft has integrated Cortana conversation experience updates for en_US only, so unless you are leaving in the United States (or elsewhere and using this setting), you won’t be seeing any improvements in this regard.
And last but not least, Microsoft says it has improved the drag and drop experience on the home screen.
Stable build in a few weeks
Needless to say, there are probably a ton of other smaller fixes and refinements made under the hood, so you should notice a generally improved performance when installing this new version of Microsoft Launcher.
On the other hand, keep in mind today’s build is still a beta release, so some features might not work exactly as anticipated. Further refinements are expected in the coming beta updates, which should go live in the next few weeks ahead of the public launch of Microsoft Launcher 5.7 stable.
I have installed Microsoft Launcher 5.7 beta on my device and everything seems to be working quite smoothly for now, but of course, you shouldn’t use this as your mainly driver given the risks of a beta build.
At this point, there are no timing details as to when Microsoft plans to release version 5.7 to all devices, but the testing typically takes up to several weeks in the beta stage.