
Microsoft Unveils Its Arrow Launcher for Android - yinyinwu
http://techcrunch.com/2015/10/28/microsoft-officially-unveils-its-arrow-launcher-for-android/
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Someone1234
It is surprising to me that Google hasn't made the top bar/tray customisable.
You can replace your lock screen, home screen, and keyboard but you're always
stuck on the OEM provided notifications tray regardless...

I'd love to be able to install something and receive a completely different
experience. Right now it is always just a piece meal of a potential
experience.

PS - I installed Arrow. So far I like it. I'll give it a spin for a week (or
until it annoys me).

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exacube
I don't think it's possible to replace the lock screen in a native way. All
"custom lockscreens" in existence today are basically hacks -- you will notice
flickers when the lock screen activity is initialized, for example.

It's necessarily not customizable for some security reasons (unlock code,
etc.)

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Natanael_L
WidgetLocker hasn't acted "hacky" for quite some while on my Samsung devices.

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DiabloD3
What an interesting strategy: they eventually want to provide a Microsoft
version of everything (they already have their own Google Now and Google Docs
and email (Cortana, Office for Android, Outlook for Android)); all they have
to do now is port Groove, their Camera/Photos app, and MSIE. Arrow also seems
to have a matching lock screen (mentioned in the article, released before
Arrow).

What I don't get is Arrow doesn't look like MS Phone's launcher. I wonder why.

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neogodless
They want Android users... not Windows Phone fans.

Also Groove is available for Android already.

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prodmerc
> They want Android users... not Windows Phone fans.

Making a good Modern UI launcher could help steer people towards Windows Phone
and every other software that uses that UI...

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neogodless
I think there are a few considerations. First - this is a Garage project, so
it's (probably) not being directed by the marketing team. Instead, it's some
engineers seeing what's possible Second - it has to feel normal to the Android
Users that try it. If it changes what they are used to, they might be put off.

But I agree that it would be interesting to see a Modern UI launcher. I
actually rearranged the screens to be a bit more like Windows Phone - swipe
left brings up the app list. Swipe right to return to widgets. Another swipe
right will bring up "recent" stuff, which isn't on Windows Phone 8 - but there
were design concepts and suggestions like that, as alternatives to swiping
from the top to bring down the notification tray.

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ascagnel_
The last time I used Android (around 2011, in the Gingerbread days), there
were a few home screen replacements that took heavy inspiration from WP7/8\.
They didn't fit in with the system as a whole, which was saying something
considering how fragmented the UX was in Android (pre-Material) at the time.

Good software should be part of a cohesive whole and maintain the system UX
whenever possible, not bring it's own paradigm that overrides it's host.

That said, I'd love it someone tried to revive the ideas behind
SlideScreen[0]. Instead of a focus on surfacing apps, the home screen instead
focuses on surfacing information (in more of a pull style vs push
notifications) and letting the user go from there.

[0] [http://slidescreenhome.com/](http://slidescreenhome.com/)

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tmikaeld
Looking at the permissions (Basically everything) - it seems like a good way
for Microsoft to get access to both usage statistics and user data in one
whole sweep.

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binarycrusader
I think that's more reflective of the limitations of the current Android
security model than any implied ulterior motive. Yes, I'm sure they benefit to
some extent, I just suspect that they need all of those permissions to be the
launcher currently. Mind you that's a guess based on my understanding, not a
verified statement.

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on_and_off
They could target API 23 and ask for runtime permissions. Other launchers like
Nova have already done this.

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currysausage
It looks like iOS with all the Gaussian blur... but it is made by Microsoft...
and it runs on Android.

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mathgeek
I hear Microsoft a history of taking Apple's UI and copying it for non-Apple
devices.

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Mithaldu
The pull-up drawer is nice, but i don't see how it is in any way better than
nova launcher. In fact, it seems worse in most ways.

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prodmerc
I was excited for a new Modern UI launcher for Android... but this looks
exactly the same as the other hundred or so launchers on Google Play.

Wtf, Microsoft, what a wasted opportunity...

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SmellyGeekBoy
My thoughts exactly. The launcher is one of my favourite parts of Windows
Mobile and I'd love to have it on Android. This is actually really nice (I've
been using it for nearly a day now) but not at all what I was expecting when I
read the announcement.

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kozukumi
I think it is pretty clear that Android is Microsoft's plan B in the mobile
market. I know they have kind of said that already although not in so many
words. I wouldn't be shocked to see a Microsoft Android phone at some point if
Windows 10 Mobile fails to improve adoption of the platform (it will fail).
Something similar to what Samsung do with a totally custom interface on top of
an Android core. Not sure how things would go in regards to Google core
services. I guess Microsoft could reimplement their own services framework
that hooks things up to their services. I am not an Android dev though so
perhaps one it chip in that could clear things up regarding this?

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blumkvist
No, it will most definitely not fail and they don't have Android as plan B.

The mobile phone market (outside of Appleland) is overwhelmingly dominated by
distribution. People go and get a smartphone, recommended by the sales
employee. Which phone does the employee recommend? The one which his boss
tells him to. Which one is that? The one HQ tells him to. Which one is that?
The one with the best rebates. I will leave you to think about which one that
might be. Android doesn't make money. Not for google, not for OEMs. Microsoft
can turn OEMs from breakeven to profitable with a magic wand. Guess what? They
already did that in the 90s! On top of that, it's a very good OS so it will
get adoption by itself, especially in the corporate and mid-tier markets. And
don't even try to say that developers will not get on board. They will.
Remember the office365 in the beginning. "Can't win on the web, no
integration, developers choose google apps". Yeah. Right. Windows is the most
important platform in the world. Gradually developers will get on board.

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petra
If that was true , why haven't we seen micrososft already win over android ?

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kozukumi
Because Microsoft's efforts were on the stupid new modern UI and Windows 8
under Sinofsky. Seriously that guy did so much damage to Microsoft. There is
no reason Microsoft should have been in 3rd place in the mobile market (4th
really behind BB but BB fucked up too).

Windows Phone was late and crappy. It still is crappy. Devs don't want to
develop for the platform no matter what MS does now. How can they get the devs
back? Universal Apps is Microsoft's way but I am not too sure if that is what
devs want. Microsoft are still desperately trying to push one app for mobiles,
tablets and traditional computers. I like the idea in theory but then again
communism sounds good in theory. Really though we don't have the hardware to
fully realise that yet and I don't think we will for the next few years.
Personally I prefer how Apple are doing things with keeping computers and
mobile/tablet (touch devices basically) separate. Having said that I don't
really like how Apple does things a lot of the time. I am a Windows computer
and iOS phone user. My phone is a device to get work done so the closed
environment isn't a big deal whereas on my computer I want more control.
Android is good but until recently it wasn't what I really wanted and now I am
too deep in the iOS world to switch my phone to an Android. I think the
problem MS has is people don't want to move to Windows Phone. There is nothing
WP does that I can't do on iOS or Android.

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ksenzee
First thought: "Why is Microsoft building an Android app to launch arrows?"

Ah, English. I headdesk in your general direction.

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nmc
Someone in charge of naming software at Microsoft found a good way to generate
clickbait.

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AnimalMuppet
Admiral Ackbar says...

(Seriously, I wonder if it is in fact some sort of a trap. It's not the 1990s
any more, but I still don't really trust Microsoft.)

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semi-extrinsic
Timeo Danaos, et dona ferentes.

