Is Touchwiz only the launcher?

[hoovhartid]

I have read many reviews now about the S3 including the great one Phil wrote.

While the S3 won't be my first android phone, it will be my first Samsung android phone with Touchwiz.

Until now, I thought all of the cool features like smart stay, Gesture controls, Pop-up Play, and S voice were a part of the Touchwiz.

But after reading Phils' review, I realized (unless I'm mistaking) that touchwiz is only the launcher. He installed the Apex launcher on the at&t version of the s3 he was using in his video. and I'm guessing that replaces Touchwiz...but my question is what else?

Is Samsung's calendar app replaced at that point? or is it just the widget that takes you to the android calendar?

Maybe I'm just confusing everything after reading Alex's review. He seemed to put everything about Touchwiz and all the features of the S3 into one section of "Software". The review mentions Touchwiz Nature UX as well as "inspired by Nature".
The ringtones, the water like lock-screen, wall paper, even the power control widget..

.....I'm confused on what parts are Touchwiz and what parts will remain if a launcher like Apex is installed.

Anyone know if you lose the water like ripple lock screen if you use a different launcher?

Maybe it would be best if there were a list of features for touchwiz vs apps for the phone;

Touchwiz
Calendar Widget
Music Widget
Wall paper?
etc
etc

Phone Apps
Smart Stay
Pop-up-Play
etc


does anyone know where the line is drawn?

 

[Paul627g]

By installing a third party launcher you don't loose the function of apps like the Calendar and others. They are still installed as their own separate applications but Touchwiz does take advantage of integrating them into your daily use.

Basically if you install a third party launcher like Apex, Nova, ADW Launcher, Launcher Pro,GO Launcher, etc... you will still have function of the apps in question.. Actually when you install the 3rd party launcher they may integrate nicely or even provide their own versions of calendar, etc to work along with the launcher.

Touchwiz the "launcher" and "application list" portion itself will change by installing a 3rd party launcher but Touchwiz itself goes a bit deeper into the OS by means of the notification pull down toggles and other areas that a 3rd party launcher will not change so it will still be present in many respects.

Newer users to Android can be confused by launchers and UI's, etc.. Touchwiz/Moto Blur/Sense are all OEM UI's which are built onto the OS so they have more function than just the launcher, they also "theme" the device in their own ways aside from what vanilla android was built as.