Since the company Nothing started its journey in 2020, its movements have been closely followed by a large number of users. The UK-based company was founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei.
Since then, we have participated in the launch of its first product, the auricular Ear 1 which were introduced last year. They were well received for their quality and price, but the idea of the arrival of a mobile phone remained on everyone’s mind.
It finally seems to be happening this summer, as confirmed by the company itself at an event earlier this year. If in the meantime you want to feel the experience of using the new mobile, know that the beta version of its Android launcher is now available.
And best of all, it’s an app that can be downloaded and installed on any current mobile phone. Here’s how to configure the Nothing’s Nothing launcher.
Can I install Nothing Launcher on my phone?
Although the beta version of Nothing Launcher has been announced and is available on the Google Play Store, not all Android phones support its installation as each brand applies its own layer of customization.
Then here is the list that the company has confirmed are compatible:
- samsung galaxy s22
- Galaxy S22+
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21
- Galaxy S21+
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Google Pixel 6
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 5a
- Google Pixel 5
Apparently support for OnePlus phones is coming soon, if only due to the manager’s affinity for his old company. However, it is likely that the possibility of installation is only in the Phone(s) of the brand considered as flagships.
How to install Nothing Launcher on my Android mobile?
Installing Nothing Launcher is as easy as installing any other Android launcher, so all you have to do is download it from the Google app store. We installed it on a Pixel 5 running Android 12 and here’s the process:
- Open Google Play Store and search “Nothing Launcher”, or just click on the link.
- Click on the result that appears and choose ‘Install’
- Once installed, open ‘Settings > Apps > Default apps > Startup app’
- Click on ‘Nothing Launcher’ to select it
Go back to the home screen and you will see Nothing Launcher is running. If you prefer the official tutorial provided by the company, you can consult it also, where the brand invites you to participate with Feedback of user experiences.
Download Nothing Launcher (Beta) to preview the unified graphics and main features of Nothing OS.
Available on Google Play Store for Samsung S21, S22, Google Pixel 5 and 6 series (OnePlus coming soon).
Learn more at https://t.co/Rg2h1ROvX8. pic.twitter.com/NHYMWAu4qu
– Nothing nothing)
April 28, 2022
How can I return to my previous launcher?
Switching back to your favorite official launcher or the one that comes with your default phone is not complicated at all. Follow the next steps:
- Open ‘Settings’ again and go back to ‘Apps > Default apps’
- In ‘Default Launcher App’, tap on your usual launcher; if you’ve never switched launchers before, you should only see one to choose from
- Go back to the home screen and everything will be back to normal
What does Nothing Launcher offer?
As Carl Pei mentioned when announcing that they were working on the Nothing 1 phone, the Nothing Launcher is quite different from the traditional software experience offered by other Android mobile phones such as Pixel the Googleor the Galaxy from Samsung.
The futuristic design includes a new wallpaper as well as a choice of three widgetboth of which offer two clock styles (analog or digital) and weather, all in Nothing’s distinctive aesthetic.
There are also more wallpapers and ringtones available, although they are not included with the launcher; you can download them from a folder of drop box.
We have seen that it is possible to increase the size of application icons and folders on the home screen. You can also choose a custom icon pack after downloading it from the Play Store.
But the current iteration of Nothing Launcher also has notable shortcomings. Android 12’s “Material You” design is only enforced in a few areas, and the launcher restricts you to a single home screen (no ability to do this on adjacent screens or with Google Discover)
Nothing invites you to share comments via Discord. Hopefully the version that ships with the Nothing(1) phone this summer will have more features than the official beta launcher available so far.
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