In case you hadn't already heard, the Google Now Launcher is now available to all Android devices running 4.1 and newer. Details are included in Google's official video below.
My question is: could this be the Android Silver program that everyone was talking about?
For those of you that don't know, for a couple of months before Google I/O, there were lots of rumors surfacing about the end of the Nexus program, and the start of launching flagship devices from OEM's with stock Android.
I haven't been putting much stock in the rumors, because I don't feel that's an approach that Google would take. The Nexus program has been growing and shows strong sense of life, and I think it would be stupid for Google to kill that. Likewise, OEM's would not be happy with Google, I would think, releasing Google versions of their devices sold mainstream, not just through Google Play. Android skins are how OEM's feel like they differentiate themselves from the competition. Not to mention the fact that they would sell a lot fewer devices that weren't running stock software.
My thought is, though, that the release of this launcher to the Play Store is actually what Google was doing, and that this is the rumored "Android Silver." It fits with Google's assertion that they aren't killing the Nexus program any time soon. It also gives non-stock devices a more Googley feel.
I think this is one of the best things to happen to Android since project butter, by the way. But I'm interested to know what you think. Do you think this is "Android Silver?" Do you believe the Nexus line is dying? Let me know in the comments.
