GO Launcher teases major 5.0 refresh coming in May

Android sure has a lot of launchers and one of them is about to get a major upgrade. The venerable GO Launcher will soon be getting not just a face lift but almost an overhaul starting sometime next month.

Before the dawn of launchers that exuded a bit of smarts or those that can change costumes in a snap, the Android launcher scene was dominated by the likes of GO Launcher. This homescreen replacement in particular boasted of a wealth of themes as well as a plethora of homescreen widgets designed just for it. Although it hasn’t lost its luster yet, after 3 years of existence, GO Launcher is due a refresh.

That change will be soon upon us, though GO Launcher isn’t saying exactly when aside from an ominous “see you in May” hint. The developer team is also tight-lipped about expected features, but there is talk of a simpler yet more intelligent user experience, perhaps hinting at smart or contextual features coming our way. The video below does seem to point at a rather flatter aesthetic, eschewing the shiny and pseudo-3D look of the current logo.

That said, we really do not know what to expect but do hope that most, if not everything, will be better. Perhaps we’ll see an injection of contextual features that automatically adjust aspects of the homescreen depending on the time of day or location. The launcher user interface itself could probably use a bit of redesign to keep things easy enough for new or casual users to get into yet still flexible and powerful for more advanced users. Whatever those new features and new look will be, avid fans of GO Launcher will definitely be waiting eagerly when the developers finally unleash version 5.0, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the tip, Sharon!