Google finally launched this month Google Now will be permanently unavailable. The tech giant had removed this launcher from the Google Play Store years ago and even introduced its replacement Pixel Launcher in 2016, but now it has decided to do away with it for good.
In the early 2010s, Google used the Google Now launcher for its Nexus phones, and then made the software available to other brands of phones as well. Now, 9to5Google has noticed that the launcher will be discontinued in April in the latest beta version of the app (version 14.14). You can see the image related to this notification in the program below.
So if you’re still using the Google Now launcher, you’ll have to use another option by the end of this month. Otherwise, your phone will use its default launcher.
The rise and fall of Google Launcher
Of course, this news is not so surprising; Because Google already removed this launcher from Play Store in 2018 and declared that it is incompatible with almost all Android devices. Also, this app has not been updated to support newer versions of Android; So few devices can actually run it.
However, Google’s launcher was noted at the time for its dedicated homepage to display Google Now information cards. The tech giant later used the concept on the Google Discover page of many Android phones. The launcher also offered users features such as suggested apps and quick access to the search function.
But with the introduction of the Pixel Launcher, the rise of the Google Assistant, and a host of other launchers, Google Now’s popularity has waned, and now there’s almost no compelling reason to continue supporting it.
