Google will kill its beloved Android launcher

Android may get a wee bit uglier this spring.

Google will discontinue its beloved Google Now Launcher app on March 1, according to an email to phone manufacturers published by Android Police Friday. 

While the company will allow phone-makers to bring Google Now features into their own launchers via "Search Launcher Services," this is probably a net loss for Android loyalists. A launcher app, usually used to change the default design of a phone’s operating system, can change the look and feel of a phone completely, and Google Now was one of the best around.