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Google Experience Launcher available for Android 4.1+ devices

Lewis Leong

Lewis Leong

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Google is bringing its Google Experience Launcher (GEL) to phones with Android 4.1 and up. GEL debuted with Android 4.4 KitKat on the Nexus 5 but is now available to other Android devices. The launcher features Google Now integrated into the home screen, bigger icons, and a bunch of other interface tweaks.

The new launcher is bundled with the Google Search app for Android, which means it acts like a third-party launcher. You can run this on devices with custom skins like the Galaxy S4 or HTC One. When you update the Search app, you will be prompted to choose a default launcher where you can select GEL to take over your home screen.

Google Experience Launcher available for Android 4.1+ devices

GEL has been optimized to work on both Android tablets and phones running Android 4.1 and up. The launcher is able to display transparency, but only on devices running KitKat. This means older versions of Android will still feature the blacked out navigation and notification bars.

Google Now has also been updated with new cards for website updates, news topics, and what to watch. Additionally, Google Now now supports recurring reminders.

Google Now combined

Voice commands have also been improved, asking users for elaboration if there’s not enough information to execute a command. For example, if you tell Google to send a message, Google will ask who you want to send the message to and what you want to say. This makes the user experience much better if you haven’t memorized all the voice commands.

Download the latest Google Search for Android

Via: Android Police

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