There are a number of apps which become available for Android devices in any given month. Most look to identify one particular main selling point and push the app based on that feature. Sometimes the apps expand to offer additional features, while sometimes they focus on refining the one feature, in the hope of offering a more curated and unique end-user experience. One app which saw its entry into the market in a private beta form last March was “Bento’ and in spite of only reaching a private in March, the developers behind the app have now confirmed that the app is closing down.
For those unfamiliar with Bento, this was an app which looked to offer a Google Now type of experience. The app sought to do this by pulling information from your other apps and interests and providing information, links and suggestions based on the information it could source. In a manner of speaking, a preemptive app which delivers content you might be interested in right to your homescreen. However, it seems that the app was not as popular as the developers had hoped and while looking to take on the likes of Google Now, the lack of a substantial user-base (in the developer’s eyes) is what is now causing the app to see its closure.
According to the announcement from the company, the app will cease all operations come March 2, 2016. The announcement also details that the app has already been removed from the Play Store, so if you have yet to install it, you no longer can. Interestingly, while looking to compete with Google Now, the company does state that any current users will have to look for a new launcher and they do suggest current users should consider Google Now, due to their shared vision. Although, the app only remained on the Play Store for just under a year from beta to closure, it did have quite the evolving journey, as most current users will be more familiar with the Bento app as the ‘Scout Launcher’ app – a name the app changed to back in August of last year, at the same time when its beta status reached an ‘open to all’ status.