I’m a big tablet fan, and when I’m at home, I use one far more often than I do my phone. Maybe that’s part of why my phone’s life can continue long after it’s received its last security update. Tablets just feel a lot more comfortable for me to use, and instead of constantly draining my phone’s battery, I can drain my tablet’s instead. What might be surprising is that I’m still using a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, a tablet that dates back to 2019. Despite its age, it still works quite fine for me. Sure, it doesn’t have the same battery performance as it once did, but it’s still solid.
Before this Tab S6, I had a different Android tablet — the Samsung Galaxy Tab A. In fact, all of my tablets over the years have run on Android, and that’s not by accident. I’ve always seen the iPad and been intrigued by it, but a number of reasons have kept me from fully diving in and trying it. The biggest reason is the Apple ecosystem. If I grabbed an iPad, it’d become my second Apple device, joining my Apple TV 4K, but I don’t think it’d be a worthwhile purchase. I’m so entrenched in the Android ecosystem at this point with Google Homes, a Google Pixel, a Samsung tablet, and countless Android handhelds (okay, it’s just two), that I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Obviously, you can mix and match devices, but it doesn’t seem like something that’s worth doing. I don’t get the most out of my Apple TV 4K because I don’t have an iPhone, and it’d be the same with my iPad.
Android launchers
Trivia challenge
From stock to custom — how well do you know the apps that power your Android home screen?
LaunchersHistoryCustomizationFeaturesBrands
Which launcher comes pre-installed as the default on stock Android devices made by Google, such as the Pixel series?
Correct! The Pixel Launcher is Google’s own home screen experience, shipped as the default on Pixel devices. It features tight integration with Google Search, At a Glance widgets, and the Discover feed.
Not quite — the answer is Pixel Launcher. Google developed it specifically for its Pixel hardware lineup, offering deep integration with Google Assistant, search, and Android’s latest design language.
Nova Launcher is widely regarded as one of the most popular third-party Android launchers. Which company originally developed it?
Correct! Nova Launcher was created by TeslaCoil Software and became one of the most downloaded launchers on the Play Store thanks to its deep customization options and reliable performance.
Not quite — Nova Launcher was built by TeslaCoil Software. The team built a reputation for fast updates and extensive personalization features, making it a long-standing favourite in the Android community.
Which Android launcher introduced the concept of ‘covers’ — a feature that lets app icons expand into mini widgets when tapped?
Correct! Action Launcher introduced Covers, a clever feature where an app icon acts as a flap that opens to reveal a widget underneath. It gave users widget functionality without cluttering the home screen.
Not quite — the answer is Action Launcher. Developer Chris Lacy created the Covers feature as a unique way to merge app shortcuts and widgets into a single home screen element.
Microsoft released its own Android launcher primarily aimed at productivity. What is it called?
Correct! Microsoft Launcher (formerly known as Arrow Launcher) is Microsoft’s Android home screen replacement, designed to integrate with Microsoft 365, Cortana, and Windows 10/11 for a connected experience.
Not quite — it’s called Microsoft Launcher, though it started life as Arrow Launcher. Microsoft rebranded it to reflect its deeper integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, including OneDrive, To Do, and Office apps.
Lawnchair Launcher is notable for being open-source. On which platform is its source code publicly hosted?
Correct! Lawnchair Launcher’s source code is hosted on GitHub, allowing developers and enthusiasts to contribute, fork, and modify the project freely. It aims to bring Pixel Launcher features to any Android device.
Not quite — Lawnchair is hosted on GitHub. Its open-source nature has helped it gain a strong community following, as developers can inspect and contribute to the codebase without restrictions.
Which launcher is specifically designed around an AI-powered app drawer that automatically categorises apps into groups without manual input?
Correct! Smart Launcher 6 uses an AI-based system to automatically sort apps into categories like Social, Media, and Tools, making app discovery easier without the user having to organise anything manually.
Not quite — the answer is Smart Launcher 6. Its standout feature is intelligent automatic categorisation, which analyses what each app does and groups them accordingly, saving users the hassle of manual organisation.
Niagara Launcher is known for its minimalist design philosophy. What is its primary navigation feature that sets it apart from traditional launchers?
Correct! Niagara Launcher features an alphabetical app list that runs down the side of the screen, letting users quickly jump to any app by sliding their thumb along the alphabet. It’s a clean, one-handed-friendly approach.
Not quite — Niagara Launcher uses an alphabetical side-scroll list for quick app access. This vertical alphabet strip is its signature design feature, making it extremely fast and easy to navigate with one hand.
Which long-running third-party launcher was one of the first to offer icon pack support and gesture controls on Android, predating many modern competitors?
Correct! ADW Launcher, developed by AnderWeb, was a pioneer in the third-party launcher space and one of the earliest to support icon packs and gesture-based navigation. It laid the groundwork for many launchers that followed.
Not quite — ADW Launcher was the trailblazer here. Released in the very early days of Android customisation, it introduced concepts like icon packs and gesture shortcuts that became standard features in launchers for years to come.
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Apple lost the battle over me
Android gained a foothold
In today’s world, it’s all about interconnectivity and a shared ecosystem. If you’re somebody with an iPhone and an Android tablet, that’s just not going to happen. On the other hand, an iPhone paired with an iPad and a Mac is a perfect combo, and a lot of people are in that situation. I’ve just been part of Android from the start, so I’ve not had much interest in jumping ship to an iPad, even if there are a lot of benefits that it can bring.
What Apple needed to do for me to get an iPad was to win me over when the iPhone launched. For whatever reason, I was never interested in picking one up, and that meant I’ve been with Android since the start. While things like the iPad Air and iPhone Duo are interesting devices, I’m just not as interested in them as I would be if I were already part of the Apple ecosystem. Of course, I made an exception for the Apple TV 4K, but if there’s not a new model of that in the near future, I’m not sure I’m going to stick with it for much longer.
Another thing I like about Android is the open ecosystem. Sideloading apps is a breeze, and I’ve gotten into game emulation quite a bit over the past year, and things are much further along on Android than they are on iOS. I don’t think that should be a major selling point for anybody, but it can be a nice cherry on top. I think it’s more that Android feels like home to me, and if I grabbed something other than an Android tablet, I’d have to learn an entirely new ecosystem. That’s not something I’m very interested in at the moment, and while I dipped my toes in with the Apple TV 4K, that’s a different beast in that I just install apps and click icons. There’s not a lot I have to learn, and I have a first-gen model that doesn’t even get new features with each tvOS update.
I’ll stick with Android tablets
Familiar isn’t bad
I’m not really in the market for a new tablet at the moment, but if I were, I’d probably get an updated Samsung Galaxy tablet or something from Lenovo. I like that there are plenty of offerings from several companies instead of being locked into only what Apple has to offer. There will probably come a time when I pick up an iPad, maybe a cheaper, older model from Woot or something. It’s not like Apple is doing anything to lose my business, and since the switch to USB-C, it’s not even like I’d have to buy a bunch of new cables or anything of the sort.
I’m sure there are the same hesitations with people looking to jump from Apple to Android. It’s more difficult than you’d think, especially if you’re a creature of habit. The good news is that you don’t have to do anything like that since both are perfectly viable options. It’s also not a good time to buy new tech, considering the rising costs of everything. I have my ancient tablet looking at me with a tear in its eye as I tell it that it has to hang on for a few more years.
