Google Now Launcher will stop working in April

The Google Now Launcher arrived almost a decade ago alongside Android, focusing the UI on Google Now cards. The launcher that was the default one on the Nexus 5 is now set to be discontinued in April.

The latest beta of the Google app (v14.14) revealed devices with the Google Now Launcher will receive a message “Your launcher will change to your device’s default launcher”.

The Google Now Launcher has been on a downwards spiral for a long time now. In 2017, its main feature, the Google Now service, was made available to OEM launchers, while Google moved to Pixel Launcher for its own phones. GNL kept receiving updates through the Google app, but as Assistant moved in front, the Now usability dwindled.

The very few people that still use Google Now Launcher can keep it only if they decide never to again update their Google app, but if people are still sticking to the launcher, they are probably not receiving any updates in the first place.

Via