Nova Launcher (Bad News) [emoji22]

[SeeBeeEss]

Exclusive: Cliff Wade shares his thoughts on the future of Nova Launcher​

 

[atliens]

crazy I had an issue with the launcher this weekend and sent a email like nothing..totally forget they laid everyone off...doh.

Ending up fixing the issue on my own tho. Layoff's in the current climate sucks and I hope everyone gets hired someone else.

 

[YankInDaSouth]

Looks like RIP for really real now:

Here's Your Sign to Stop Using Nova Launcher

Kevin Barry, the founder and original developer of Nova Launcher is stepping away from the forever-loved Android launcher app. Why they are stepping away is an important question and goes back to Nova Launcher’s acquisition by Branch back in 2022. Originally, not much was supposed... #Android #Apps

www.droid-life.com

 

[BerryBubbles]

So unfortunate!

 

[gendo667]

I uninstalled it a couple of days ago. Kinda sad. Ran Nova for years, almost exclusively, on my LG phones.

 

[mustang7757]

This is sad news

 

[Laura Knotek]

What other launchers are you using or thinking of using now?

 

[edubfromktown]

Looks like RIP for really real now:

Here's Your Sign to Stop Using Nova Launcher

Kevin Barry, the founder and original developer of Nova Launcher is stepping away from the forever-loved Android launcher app. Why they are stepping away is an important question and goes back to Nova Launcher’s acquisition by Branch back in 2022. Originally, not much was supposed... #Android #Apps

www.droid-life.com

Total drag.

 

[Sizzers]

What other launchers are you using or thinking of using now?

I'll continue using it until whenever Google completely breaks it.

I've only ever known Nova really since it was launched. Sure, I've tinkered with a few others over time out of innate curiosity but nothing as ever come even close for me.

When it does finally bite the dust I've no idea what I'll do but it certainly won't be Microsoft Launcher or One UI.

 

[BerryBubbles]

What other launchers are you using or thinking of using now?

That's a good conversation to start!

My needs are small & I don't require much from a launcher. I'll be fine with Samsung's UI. (Now if it was still TouchWiz...)

But I'll be interested in what others are thinking, incase I move away from Samsung.

 

[edubfromktown]

What other launchers are you using or thinking of using now?

I'm looking at the following alternatives to run on S25U:

Octopi

Hyperion

Action

Smart

and maybe Microsoft (formerly Arrow)

 

[Golfdriver97]

I've been using Microsoft's launcher. It's not Nova, but it's not bad either.

 

[gendo667]

What other launchers are you using or thinking of using now?

Lawnchair seems to scratch the itch. I'm primarily on Pixel Launcher these days but I've been playing with Lawnchair. Seems great. It's like a version of Pixel Launcher where you can do whatever you want with.

Edit: the Internet tells me that the Lawnchair in the Play Store isn't updated on any consistent basis, though it was updated in July.

I downloaded Lawnchair from their website. It's updated through the launcher settings and it is a *little* different. The widgets seem updated.

 

[gendo667]

That's a good conversation to start!

My needs are small & I don't require much from a launcher. I'll be fine with Samsung's UI. (Now if it was still TouchWiz...)

But I'll be interested in what others are thinking, incase I move away from Samsung.

My first Samsung phone was the S8. Coming from several LG phones, I spent two years with the S8 running Nova. I didn't try Samsung's launcher (the Samsung Experience it was called I believe) until my last week with that phone. I was delighted to find that I actually loved it.

 

[Mooncatt]

Looks like RIP for really real now:

Here's Your Sign to Stop Using Nova Launcher

Kevin Barry, the founder and original developer of Nova Launcher is stepping away from the forever-loved Android launcher app. Why they are stepping away is an important question and goes back to Nova Launcher’s acquisition by Branch back in 2022. Originally, not much was supposed... #Android #Apps

www.droid-life.com

They mention at the end of the article a claim from the CEO that that the Nova code is contractually obligated to become open source if the developer leaves the new company. It sounds like they don't want that to happen, which would require legal action to correct.

But if that's true, then there's hope yet. Not necessarily for me, though, because I stopped updating it after a lot of people were talking about a major layout change or something that I didn't want.

 

[joeldf]

...Not necessarily for me, though, because I stopped updating it after a lot of people were talking about a major layout change or something that I didn't want.

Using Nova since 2017, there was never any kind of layout change. Nor was that ever mentioned.

What did happen when Branch originally bought Nova was a change in the search feature - making it use some search engine that Branch developed - going through their servers... or something like that. That was what got users mad with that initial sale.

However, since I never use any homescreen search function, and it's the first thing I turn off when setting up a new device, that development did not affect me.

For now, I plan to keep using Nova Prime until whatever future Android update breaks it.

After that? I don't know. I've tried MS Launcher, Lawnchair, Smart, Samsung's own Home UI (because I have a Samsung)... even BlackBerry Launcher. It's the notifications that I like how Nova let's us customize it. I like them medium sized because of my eyesight not at its best these days. And that I can give them a custom color. Haven't found that in any other launcher yet. Also, the calendar app I use won't show the current date on most other launchers I've tried other than on Nova. It does work on Smart, but it changes the icon to some goofy cartoon looking icon. If I manually change it to the real app icon, the date reverts to the static "31".

It's those little things that keep me on Nova.

 

[me just saying]

I'm looking at the following alternatives to run on S25U:

Octopi

Hyperion

Action

Smart

and maybe Microsoft (formerly Arrow)

I have been using Smart Launcher for years. I gave nova a try and even got the paid version for free from them a few years ago but never really cared for it.

 

[edubfromktown]

So far Octopi is working nicely with a few minor icon spacing and scaling adjustments. I really like the swipe up for apps and alphabetical tap-list to relocate to specific app name 1st letter.

I'm not missing much of anything from Nova.

 

[Mooncatt]

Using Nova since 2017, there was never any kind of layout change. Nor was that ever mentioned.

I'll see if I can go find the post again, because I first heard about it here. I can't remember exactly what the change was, but I'm on version 7 and it was the version after (I think) that had a substantial change I didn't like.

 

[BerryBubbles]

It must be difficult for Kevin Barry to see his Nova App die. I'd guess he put his heart into it.