What an interesting strategy: they eventually want to provide a Microsoft version of everything (they already have their own Google Now and Google Docs and email (Cortana, Office for Android, Outlook for Android)); all they have to do now is port Groove, their Camera/Photos app, and MSIE. Arrow also seems to have a matching lock screen (mentioned in the article, released before Arrow).
What I don't get is Arrow doesn't look like MS Phone's launcher. I wonder why.
I think there are a few considerations. First - this is a Garage project, so it's (probably) not being directed by the marketing team. Instead, it's some engineers seeing what's possible Second - it has to feel normal to the Android Users that try it. If it changes what they are used to, they might be put off.
But I agree that it would be interesting to see a Modern UI launcher. I actually rearranged the screens to be a bit more like Windows Phone - swipe left brings up the app list. Swipe right to return to widgets. Another swipe right will bring up "recent" stuff, which isn't on Windows Phone 8 - but there were design concepts and suggestions like that, as alternatives to swiping from the top to bring down the notification tray.
The last time I used Android (around 2011, in the Gingerbread days), there were a few home screen replacements that took heavy inspiration from WP7/8. They didn't fit in with the system as a whole, which was saying something considering how fragmented the UX was in Android (pre-Material) at the time.
Good software should be part of a cohesive whole and maintain the system UX whenever possible, not bring it's own paradigm that overrides it's host.
That said, I'd love it someone tried to revive the ideas behind SlideScreen[0]. Instead of a focus on surfacing apps, the home screen instead focuses on surfacing information (in more of a pull style vs push notifications) and letting the user go from there.
I wish Microsoft will come up with their own version on Android like Amazon. And have their own app store. I mean Google apps are great but I hate that all of my data is going through the same company. Amazon's Android fork is not good enough to considered seriously but Microsoft has pretty good Android apps. Plus it would be great to have some competition!
I want Windows Phone, but recently moved to Android. Because Apps...
I hate it. So many things that don't work. Contact sync, I can't even call half the time because all my contacts are gone, and I need to reboot to get them back. In my car with bluetooth, when I listen to a podcast an incoming call does not use the car audio. The privacy invasions of any app I install... The battery use... And that's only a few things.
The apps on Android are nice. But the minute I can get a Windows Phone that can run Android apps, I'm running back to WP.
What I don't get is Arrow doesn't look like MS Phone's launcher. I wonder why.