Sapphire UI Beta now available for all Android users (5.0 and above)

Sapphire UI started out as a customized launcher exclusive for HTC Sense users. It was pretty well received, but of course had a limited audience. Now the developer decided to make a comeback 1.5 years later and encompass the whole of Android-dom, well at least those who are already on Lollipop and Marshmallow. Sapphire UI Beta is now available for those who want a “Simple, Secure, and Safe launcher” that acts like Google, but with more customizable options.

So why not just stick with Google Launcher if what you’re looking for is something similar to it? While some people do love it, of course there are certain limitations to it unlike if you use an open beta app like Sapphire. It does use Material Design as its base design, but it also has a Native Launcher3 Interface. It does have a Google Now shortcut bar, a Google Plus bar, and Google Plus Profile Integration, but it does introduce a lot of other features like dashboard cards, native AOSP wallpaper picker, device settings shortcuts, gesture support, etc.

Another great thing about this is that since it is open beta, it gets a lot of feedback from its community and it Google Plus group is pretty active. The developer is also active at the XDA Development Thread and so you can give your input and see his work process as well. Unfortunately, if your device is not running on Lollipop or Marshmallow, you won’t be able to use the app. It also requires you to integrate your Google Plus to it so you can fully enjoy the launcher.

If you meet the above criteria, you can download Sapphire UI Beta from the Google Play Store for free. Of course you have to remember it’s still in beta so everything might not work perfectly.

SOURCE: XDA Developers