The launcher is optimized for the Android experience, but it is unlike vanilla Android… or most other third-party launchers, for that matter.
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I happen to be a fan of what Microsoft has been putting up in the Google Play Store.
Apps in Arrow are ranked based on how often they’re used, meaning that users will be able to quickly access their most-used apps without having to search for them through the whole list.
The launcher itself looks similar to iOS 9, however, it’s clearly not an iOS 9 clone.
After opening up its Office suite and launching Microsoft apps on the Android platform, the software giant has gone ahead and launched an Android launcher called Arrow.
It somewhat mimics Apple’s recent Spotlight search update which now offers suggested apps and contacts when you swipe right on the iOS homescreen. You will notice it really has no home screen.
Similar to a few other Android launchers, you can use Arrow to re-arrange pages, set pages as your homescreen, organize and use widgets, theme your icons, and more. Here, you can access favorite apps or commonly-used settings, like airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a flashlight and more – Settings you would find in Control Center, too.
Microsoft’s strategy in releasing Arrow is quite clear, just to expand its presence on Android. If you swipe up from the bottom of the display a toolbar panel is revealed with various tools and quick toggles as well as customizable apps in the dock.
It certainly makes sense that Microsoft is embracing cross-platform development, with Windows Phone not being as popular as the company probably would have liked.
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Arrow replaces the default launcher on Android phones and tablets, allowing Microsoft to put its own stamp, like customizing Bing wallpaper, on a device. We didn’t get the chance to actually test Microsoft’s Arrow Launcher on any of our Android devices, but perhaps we’ll do it soon.
