Sideload Launcher Gets First Major Update in Nearly a Decade With Version 2.0
Ad-free Android TV launcher Sideload Launcher rolls out version 2.0, its first major update in nearly a decade.
Version 2.0 brings an entirely redone interface, a cleaner app list and new customization options, according to the report. The launcher remains free of ads and tracking and does not require an internet connection to function, the developer says. The software has been available for more than ten years but had not seen a major upgrade in recent years; the previous release came about eight years ago.
The app exists to display everything a user has installed on a television device, including apps loaded from outside official channels, apps obtained from unofficial sources and apps that were originally written for Android phones and tablets rather than TVs. Android Authority describes it as a popular option among third-party Android TV launchers.
The report places the update against the current state of Google's TV software, which it describes as increasingly crowded with full-screen advertising, links to paid content and a Gemini integration. Google also bars apps that are not preinstalled or downloaded from the Play Store from appearing in the main app carousel, even though the underlying Android framework permits APK sideloading, the report says. That restriction leaves launchers such as Sideload Launcher as one route for users who want sideloaded software to be reachable from a TV home screen.
Android Authority did not publish a complete feature list for version 2.0 or name the developer behind the update. The report gives no release timeline beyond saying the new version is arriving now.