The only way to tweak your Android phone, except jailbreaking, is to use an Android launcher. Launcher Android apps have always been an integral part of the Android experience. Currently, app developers are offering an incredibly diverse assortment of options, with launchers providing basic to abstract skins for your smartphone. A good launcher can give your phone a face-lift –from changing the look and feel with different icons and themes, to adding new functionality such as smart folders and search assistance.
So, if you’re looking to change things up, here are the top five feature-packed and customizable Android launchers available in Play Store.
1. Action Launcher 3
Action Launcher 3 is one of the best launchers till date. It comes with a generic Android look but with several different features like – Quicktheme, Shutters and Covers. Quick theme is a unique feature which uses material design color extraction technique from your wallpaper image so as to integrate your search bar, quick draw and folder backgrounds in semblance with your wallpaper. Covers feature allows you to customize your folders so as to make toggling a bit quicker and easier. Whereas, shutters allows you to transition easily from apps easily.
2. Apex Launcher
Apex Launcher is one of the oldest launchers for Android and is also one of the most downloaded launchers of all time. The design is pretty similar to lollypop, with some basic customizations available like – transition animations, scrolling habits, and there is even a scrolling dock where you can lay plenty of icons.
Apex launcher has a theme engine with many themes that are available on the Google Play store that supports icon packs. The app seems to be pretty stable on any device.
3. Arrow Launcher
Microsoft’s arrow launcher makes it to the third place because of the mixed reactions it has received. Mostly, the launcher’s theme seems to have Windows feel. From custom alphabetical toggling to quick shortcut keys, the app has some really good features. Also with a variety of pre-set home screens that will show you things like frequent contacts, reminders (powered by Wunderlist), recent documents, and your frequent apps.
The app seems to be a good fit for anyone who’s ingrained into Microsoft’s ecosystem. For people who kind of stay from the window-ish feel should reconsider the option.
4. Hola launcher
Hola launcher is a robust and feature-rich Android home screen app. The app sorts out the most used apps on the front screen. The app comes with a hola boost feature to speed up your phone’s speed. Also, the launcher provides a proper assemblage of the apps in sync with your workflow. You can also quickly and easily hide (and find) apps from your app drawer, if you have rubbernecks around you.
It has tons of icons and themes to choose from, smart folders, and a built-in weather app if you want that. Also, the app is of just 2MB which makes it even better.
5. Launcher 8
Launcher 8 is the most unique out the five because it has no resemblance to Android, in fact, this launcher’s sole purpose was to tweak your Android’s look into Windows. The launcher allows you to convert your widgets into Windows Phone style live tiles and create virtually the same experience you’d find on Windows Phone, but with Android instead.
It also comes with plenty of other features while giving that minimalistic feel to your phone.
[Source:-Tech Rader]
