Back in 2014, Google has come with an option to install its own Google Now app launcher on any Android device, but this is about to change sometime soon. According to Android Police, a leaked email is showing some plans that the big search engine company has for the near future.
The mentioned leaked email shows that by the end of Q1 2017 it will stop approving new devices that try to ship with Google Now Launcher. We have to mention that Google Now Launcher was actually designed for Google Nexus line of devices, but at the same time, it was a quick and trusted way to cover up the ugly Android skins from manufacturers.
The leaked email also notes that Google will still support the application via updates, but it will no longer be offered via the Play Store. In other words, you will not be able to install Google Now from the official Android store, and only the devices that already have it installed will be able to use it.
There are rumors which say that Google is “killing” now its Now Launcher because it is planning to expand the new Pixel Launcher that it also develops for other devices (currently, it is exclusive for Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL).
Unfortunately, Google has not commented anything about this yet, but it will have to give an explanation sometime in the near future about it, especially if Google Now will disappear from the Play Store. We think that the big search engine company knows very well what it is doing, but at the same time, we are pretty sure that many users find very useful the Google Now app for their daily tasks.
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