7 ms·

Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking

406 points by celsoazevedo 9mo ago

celsoazevedo 9mo ago
For those still using Nova Launcher (custom launcher for Android), it seems that it's owned by a new company and the latest update comes with the Facebook Ads and Google AdMob SDKs and require extra permissions. 8.1.6: - Branch (analytics) - Bugsnag (crash report) 8.2.4: - Facebook Ads (advertisement) - Google AdMob (advertisement) - Branch (analytics) - Bugsnag (crash reporting) - Google CrashLytics (crash reporting) - Google Firebase Analytics (analytics)
- fireflash38 9mo ago
  Any good alternatives people are using? I've used Nova for absolutely ages
  - canthonytucci 9mo ago
    Lawnchair is not as fancy but it works
    - Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
      It doesn't support adding pages to the home,sadly
      - notpushkin 9mo ago
        Did you mean tabs (to the drawer)? You totally can add new pages to the home – try moving an icon beyond the screen border.
        Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
        No I mean that if in Brave I say "add this page to the home", the launcher gives an error
        GlitchRider47 9mo ago
        That's strange, that hasn't happened to me. Maybe a reinstall might fix the problem? I use it on a Pixel 8A
        Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
        Uh interesting. I'm on Pixel 8A too. Could be! I'll give it another shot
        notpushkin 9mo ago
        Ah, pages like in webpages. Gotcha. It’s interesting, Lawnchair works totally fine with these “app action” 1×1 widgets, and Firefox can add website shortcuts without any problem for me. I’ll try it in Brave a bit later.
      - spiffytech 9mo ago
        I get the error if I try dragging the icon to the home screen. But it works if I click "add to home screen" so it auto-places, then move the icon afterward. I've got a bunch of web pages on my Lawnchair home screen.
    - garciansmith 9mo ago
      Lawnchair is good. I just really want app drawer tabs, the only reason I've stuck with Nova.
    - ahartmetz 9mo ago
      People are suggesting mostly search-based launchers here. Lawnchair is a launcher similar to Nova (icon-based) which should be safer from enshittification because it's FOSS. Actually derived from an old Google Launcher... Yes, Lawnchair isn't packed with functionality, but it's also not packed with anti-functionality.
      - ahartmetz 9mo ago
        Background: I have just switched from Nova, for which I paid (Nova Prime), to Lawnchair, initially as a trial. But I'll probably stick with it.
  - sgc 9mo ago
    I switched from Nova to Smart Launcher a couple years ago because it allowed me better customization of app groups - although I did need to work on the config a bit. I like it.
  - dcl 9mo ago
    How much am I missing out by using the standard launcher my Pixel comes with? I haven't played with different launchers since the Nexus 4 and Android 2/3 (I think).
    - toast0 9mo ago
      I don't like the stock launcher because I can't remove the search bar and I never use the search bar. Nova feels like a no nonsense launcher that does what I need. I think last time it came up, the recommended option was missing something for me so I stayed with Nova, but the writing is on the wall. Checked again and I don't see a way to get a button to show the app drawer on Lawnchair, and I don't want to use a gesture, so that's going to be hard to use.
      - array_key_first 9mo ago
        I switched to Nova for the same reason. I paid for it, too. I pay and donate for good software all the time, but this is another sober reminder to never pay for proprietary software.
      - kristopolous 9mo ago
        Most of these other launchers seem to force a fucking search bar on you. It's distracting and I don't want it Is there a way to just pin an app to a version? Then Nova is fine
        stavros 9mo ago
        I just tried a few launchers and none of them forced a search bar (or do you mean not on the home screen?). In fact, in Lawnchair and Octopi, I had to manually add a search bar if I wanted one.
        JohnFen 9mo ago
        Yeah, I tried out a handful of launchers too and none of them forced a search bar on me. Most of the had a search bar widget by default, but it was easy to remove.
  - spondyl 9mo ago
    As a relatively new convert back to Android, I've been using Niagra Launcher and enjoying it.
  - planetafro 9mo ago
    I use Niagra. So good once you get used to it.
    - cromka 9mo ago
      3. Types of Data collected Among the types of Personal Data that this Application collects, by itself or through the listed Data Processors, there are: Unique device identifiers Approximate geographic position (city level) IDs (package names) from installed apps Usage Data Cookies Oh boy...
      - GlitchRider47 9mo ago
        Yeah.. I used to use Niagra because it really is a great launcher but I don't like the data collection. A great FOSS alternative is Kvaesitso which doesn't have the exact same layout but it is search based. They also managed to implement a native search that in my opinion is better than Sesame.
  - flexagoon 9mo ago
    Kvaesito is a great search-focused FOSS launcher
    - lawn 9mo ago
      This is also what I migrated to a while back. It's quite different compared to Nova and other launchers but after using it a while I've come to love it. Do yourself a favor and give it a few days before you dismiss it.
  - Abishek_Muthian 9mo ago
    I haven't used an android launcher over a decade, stock LineageOS launcher works well for me i.e. to open app drawer and to click on apps. What do you folks use 3rd party launchers for?
    - ipcress_file 9mo ago
      I've been using Nova Launcher to mimic webOS for almost 10 years. I might be slightly too resistant to change!
    - mkozlows 9mo ago
      For not using the default Samsung launcher, which sucks.
      - imp0cat 9mo ago
        Nowadays, even the default Samsung launcher is very customizable and usable. Obviously it's no Nova, but it's not bad.
    - SkiFire13 9mo ago
      I've been using Nova Launcher since ~1year (after using it like 10 years ago) because Pixel Launcher didn't support double tap to sleep
      - UberFly 9mo ago
        Main reason I use it too.
    - opan 9mo ago
      I like to use non-default apps from F-Droid so it's easier to feel at home on any new device. I do try to only get phones with LineageOS support, but it's cool how much of my usual stuff I can throw on an Amazon tablet or Fire Stick also.
  - kenrick95 9mo ago
    I switched to KISS Launcher several years back and had been loving it. I like the philosophy of search-based launcher. This way, if I don't actively search for an app, I won't be distracted into opening one
    - yummybrainz 9mo ago
      KISS launcher is excellent. I've been using it for years now and would never go back to any other style of launcher. The only improvement I could imagine is supporting multiple screens of widgets (i.e. swiping left/right or scrolling up/down). For folks interested in checking it out: Website: https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/ Source: https://github.com/Neamar/KISS https://github.com/Neamar/KISS Store: https://f-droid.org/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/ https://f-droid.org/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/
    - DanOpcode 9mo ago
      I made the switch to KISS some time ago. Really like it! I haven't missed anything. Simple and does the job. No distractions.
    - AlbinoDrought 9mo ago
      I did this as well when the previous Nova launcher news came out. It took maybe a day to get used to, but I like it much more now - I have nothing to organize, I just access what I want to use instead. It feels natural.
    - t0bia_s 9mo ago
      KISS launcher user for about 5 years and never looking back. Search line for everything is actually faster then browsing list of icons.
    - dugite-code 9mo ago
      I always find myself missing widgets with KISS. But then when I use a launcher like lawnchair with widgets I rarely end up actually using them. Wish there was something like widget drawer that was FOSS tbh
      - 9mo ago
  - Krutonium 9mo ago
    I'm using Evie Launcher, but a really old version from just before the developer shut down the project and later removed it from the store. If you look today, you'll find a fairly convincing imposter that loves spamming you with ads, from a different developer. The APK is at least 6 years old now.
  - dcreater 9mo ago
    Its ok to just stay on v7 no? Thats what im doing.
  - BLKNSLVR 9mo ago
    I moved to Lawnchair when I recently-ish migrated to GrapheneOS. I can't remember why I didn't go with Nova Launcher again, might have been related to the permissions required. Lawnchair has fewer options, ie. is simpler, but I haven't, in practice, noticed any memorable differences.
    - murrayb 9mo ago
      I just switched to Lawnchair thanks for the recommendation. Seems to do everything I wanted from Nova anyway.
  - flax 9mo ago
    I've been mostly happy with Action launcher. It has the few features I really liked from Nova that are missing from pixel launcher: I can make my home screens scroll in a circular/infinite manner, I can remove the search bar and the google news feed or whatever they call the left page, I can set more than one page in the dock. Unfortunately, the app list page isn't quite as configurable. There are folders rather than tabs, and there's an extra click necessary to search by app name. Overall, it does the job.
  - Aluminum0643 9mo ago
    I've been using Octopi Launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopilauncher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopi...
    - raybb 9mo ago
      Do you know if this, or any other launcher for that matter, works well on the latest Android for Pixels? Ever dang launcher I try (Nova included) has this horrible problem where at some point during the day the app launcher becomes a wasteland of blanked out apps with no names and no order. Only fix is to restart the phone. It got a little better with Android 16 but not much.
      - JoshTriplett 9mo ago
        I use Octopi on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Works great, rock solid, zero issues.
        Aluminum0643 9mo ago
        Also using it on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, running GrapheneOS. It's also working perfectly for me!
        JoshTriplett 9mo ago
        That's exactly the phone I'm using it on.
      - ilioscio 9mo ago
        It's working well here on a pixel 9 pro
    - breput 9mo ago
      Thank you! I had looked at several recommended launchers and none were real Nova Launcher replacements. I randomly saw your comment and was intrigued, especially since I hadn't seen a lot of sources mentioning Octopi Launcher as a suitable option. It is the perfect Nova Launcher replacement. The UI and features feels like a more polished Nova and transitioning to Octopi is such an intuitive process.
  - ErenayDev 9mo ago
    I am using "Minimo Launcher". I have an OLED display. So its using less battery. Also it's open source. https://github.com/VaibhavLakhera/minimo-launcher https://github.com/VaibhavLakhera/minimo-launcher
  - TrianguloY 9mo ago
    I'm still using Lightning launcher, will continue to use it as long as I'm able to
  - anshumankmr 9mo ago
    Don't update? Could run for ages I feel.
  - deleted 9mo ago
    [deleted]
  - cons0le 9mo ago
    Here's the most stripped down launcher in the world: https://github.com/fandreuz/TUI-ConsoleLauncher https://github.com/fandreuz/TUI-ConsoleLauncher I don't need icons, swiping, widgets, or any of that nonsense. This one works great and you can ssh, use tmux right from the launcher
- bandrami 9mo ago
  Does this mean I need a Facebook account to use it?
  - JohnFen 9mo ago
    No, it means the app is sharing data with Facebook.
- AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
  And yet somehow my launcher updated automatically during the night, despite the change in ownership and new permissions needed. Thanks, Google.
  - prmoustache 9mo ago
    One of the reason I don't use the playstore.
    - itsTyrion 9mo ago
      One of the reasons I don't auto update stuff
- spopejoy 9mo ago
  It's weird, I'm on 8.2.4 but it hasn't asked me for any new permissions. It did use mobile data last October but none this month. Is network access a permission? I only see "Phone" granted. It may be because my aging phone is on Android 10, I auto-migrated Nova from an even older phone. Back then app drawers were in the free version, so after the migration I can't modify them (don't care, I didn't end up using that feature).
another_twist 9mo ago
Nova drained my erstwhile Android phones battery. Not sure if this has gotten any better.
rationalist 9mo ago
Thankfully I am using GrapheneOS, so I never gave the app network permissions. I will look for a new launcher anyways now. Thanks for sharing.
- celsoazevedo 9mo ago
  I've noticed that it retries some failed connections every minute, so while removing network access might fix the privacy side of things, it may have an impact on your battery life. Keep an eye on it.
unethical_ban 9mo ago
At least in Graphene, you can block the app from having network access, but stock launcher in Graphene has worked well for me. Damn these privacy-invading leeches.
ipcress_file 9mo ago
I'm still using an old version with the network access blocked. I'll use it until it stops working. If anyone knows of another launcher with app drawer tabs, let me know.
- celsoazevedo 9mo ago
  The latest version keeps retrying some failed connections. It's only Firebase, but it seems to be almost every minute. Not good for the battery life, I assume. No idea about old versions, but something to be aware of.
Fej 9mo ago
Do older versions of Nova have any security flaws which preclude using them? I've been using this app for ages and it's been essentially feature-complete for several years. A part of me wants to switch launchers for no other reason than "it is supported and not tracking me", but it is possible for software to be finished, and I believe Nova falls into that category. If there's no meaningful vulnerabilities in it, there's really no reason for me to switch away, at least not immediately.
- Stolpe 9mo ago
  Not today, but maybe tomorrow
- KetoManx64 9mo ago
  Disable the network permission and you've got nothing to really worry about.
Atlas-Marbles 9mo ago
Plenty of great open-source launchers on F-Droid.
- DanOpcode 9mo ago
  Good advice!
- globular-toast 9mo ago
  Some of the ones people are discussing in this thread aren't there, like Lawnchair.
aspbee555 9mo ago
I have been trying to figure out why my phone has beep going stupid and laggy with the launcher lately, now I know why
stbenjam 9mo ago
That’s disappointing. My primary launcher on my eink devices since it works so well on them.
- DanOpcode 9mo ago
  What devices are those? A phone with eink?
  - stbenjam 9mo ago
    There are many android devices with eink screens. Mostly Chinese brands. BOOX, Hisense, etc. some phones. Some ereaders.
  - dwedge 9mo ago
    In my case, Mudita Kompakt phone and Boox Go tablet for reading textbooks. Mudita has the stock launcher, Boox is full of bloatware and I installed Niagara
Semaphor 9mo ago
Well, that sucks. When the sale was announced, I tried several launchers, free and paid, and none of them were as good as Nova :/ Guess I’ll do another round.
- franciscop 9mo ago
  Please update here if you find any good alternative? I'm stuck in the same place
  - jayknight 9mo ago
    Lawnchair has been good enough for me, get a recent development build, they don't release very often.
    - colordrops 9mo ago
      Lawnchair is the best open source launcher IMHO. It's feature reach but it does have one problem: the defaults are the opposite of sane lol.
      - E39M5S62 9mo ago
        I just switched to Lawnchair - took me quite a while to replicate the minimal look/feel I had with Nova. Thanks for recommending it!
  - troyvit 9mo ago
    I've been having fun with Kvaesitso after it was recommended here. There are some things I'd change, but it's nice. https://github.com/MM2-0/Kvaesitso https://github.com/MM2-0/Kvaesitso
    - jemmyw 9mo ago
      I'm trying that one too. I did not like Octopi or KISS. Kvaesitso looks nice, I like the drawer and the drawer widgets are kind of cool too. The annoying thing that might drive me away is that you cannot set the order of favourites and the order changes depending on what you last used. Changing the order of something has to be very thoughtful or it quickly becomes frustrating - and with the favourites its not obvious that should be like a "recently used" list.
tholman 9mo ago
For those out of the know, Nova Launcher is an Android home screen replacement... so hits home when the root of your phone existence gets shook piece by piece.
- breput 9mo ago
  There have been enshitification clouds looming on the horizon for Nova Launcher for so long, I think many people (including me) were hoping it would just never happen. That said, check out Octopi Launcher. I installed it for the first time tonight[0] and it is exactly what you are looking for - a smoother, better Nova Launcher. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46688336 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46688336
Daz912 9mo ago
What's the problem exactly?
- tlhunter 9mo ago
  The homescreen may one day contain ads.
- timeon 9mo ago
  Spyware?
- ChrisRR 9mo ago
  Why does facebook need to know what my launcher is doing?
- celsoazevedo 9mo ago
  They've started displaying ads: https://www.reddit.com/r/NovaLauncher/comments/1qhzbws/is_novalaucher_giving_me_ads/ https://www.reddit.com/r/NovaLauncher/comments/1qhzbws/is_no... The SDKs are also part of the app even if you paid for it, and there are reports on reddit of paid users seeing ads (that might be a bug, but still). There's also the privacy side of this. It's not in my interest that my launcher sends data about me to Facebook/Meta.
mochsalman 9mo ago
I initially thought that switching to a lighter launcher like Nova would make my phone-apps launching faster. However, I soon realized that what I actually needed was something to boost my productivity, so I switched to a launcher with fewer distractions, like Yantra Launcher (terminal-based), which I've been using ever since.
- ff2400t 9mo ago
  I highly recommend you try Niagara launcher. It's the only non-grid based launcher I have tried that has actually been worth the little learning curve.
- PurpleRamen 9mo ago
  This looks like the opposite of productive? Just typing on a touchscreen is already slowing you down so much, that all productivity-gain is lost.
- dddw 9mo ago
  Oh man, thanks for this tip. This will be great on my preordered Clicks communicator.
pveierland 9mo ago
That sucks. I've been running the paid version for years - however it's clear that it hasn't been properly maintained for a while and it suffers from sporadic crashes. Any recommendations for launchers that are functionally similar? The launchers mentioned in this thread so far are quite different.
- GlitchRider47 9mo ago
  Lawnchair is similar, but it does have some bugs that they're still working through. If you're not set in the traditional page/app drawer launcher, I'd recommend Kvaesitso. It's a FOSS search based launcher. A bit of a learning curve but it is very performant and feature rich.
bastard_op 9mo ago
I've used nova on every android I've had since it came out to current, and when the former owner/dev warned people, I switched to lawnchair and didn't look back. Sounded like shenanigans and time to pull the ripcord on nova. RIP (not in ad/malware)
kristopolous 9mo ago
There's so many suggestions here that you open up and it's just a buy screen with comment reviews like "oh dearest me, I was lost in the darkness and then I found salvation with this app" I can't help but think there's a lot of devs here pushing their own products.
- RobotToaster 9mo ago
  At this point I just assume any recommendation on here that isn't for FOSS is a shill/bot.
  - deleted 9mo ago
    [deleted]
- hypfer 9mo ago
  I mean this _is_ HN after all. That is the core mindset that is being pushed here. Y Combinator is a startup accelerator. It is just called "hacker" news because it's a nice sounding name. Not because it would actually be news for hackers nor because it would actually be culturally adjacent to hacker culture. Though, those aforementioned hackers still do seem to occasionally hang out here regardless. Probably some weird case of masochism.
  - JohnFen 9mo ago
    > Probably some weird case of masochism. Or keeping an eye on the opposition.
  - kristopolous 9mo ago
    I guess. This is ostensibly savvy users that will bounce at some confusing pay screen when you open the app and immediately uninstall
breput 9mo ago
I was a 10+ year long Nova Launcher user and knew this day was coming after the sale and layoffs[0][1]... This evening I at looked several replacement launchers, such as Lawnchair and even the stock Pixel launcher again, but Octopi Launcher[2] is the more modern, more refined Nova replacement that you are looking for. It was a very easy, natural transition process from Nova - all of the Nova features that I used were there (unlike Lawnchair), such as swipe up/down on icons to perform different actions. And little things like folder options, icon placement, and widget handling are SO much nicer on Octopi compared to Nova. Staggeringly better. I took a screenshot of each home screen page, set Octopi as the new default launcher, and was back to my previous configuration but with a significantly improved visual appearance, in about 15 minutes. It's a no-brainer upgrade from Nova. The Google Play install is free and basically unlimited, but there is an unobtrusive "Buy Me A Coffee" type button that allows you to donate either $1 or $3 to unlock some eye candy, which I did, but mostly just wanting to support the developer. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45170000 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45170000 [1] https://www.androidpolice.com/exclusive-cliff-wade-nova-launcher-interview/ https://www.androidpolice.com/exclusive-cliff-wade-nova-laun... [2] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopilauncher&hl=en_US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopi...
- Semaphor 9mo ago
  I liked it, but when I added a 4x1 widget (meteoblue forecast), that didn’t properly resize to the size available. Wasn’t a problem for Hyperion or Nova, was worse for Lawnchair.
  - breput 9mo ago
    Widget sizing/appearance was probably the only surprise that I discovered between Nova and Octo. Resizing in Octo takes a bit of getting used to, but I was able to reproduce the appearance of all of my widgets. Padding is a little different and harder to discover than Nova - it is in the "Customize appearance" menu when you long tap on a widget. That is something to check out, as well as making sure Rounded Corners aren't enabled. There is also a "Freely position and resize items" option in the Launcher Settings->Home tab, which I do not have enabled, but might be necessary to get your widget sizing just right?
tonyhart7 9mo ago
does anyone know open source launcher that actually good ????
- ckardaris 9mo ago
  I am very satisfied with KISS launcher[1]. I have been using it for a while now. It's simple and gets out of the way. [1] https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/
- onli 9mo ago
  PieLauncher (https://github.com/markusfisch/PieLauncher https://github.com/markusfisch/PieLauncher) is good, but very different. Give it a try if a circular menu appearing where you touch the home screen sounds appealing (it's very efficient and easy to launch the apps).
- shtrophic 9mo ago
  Kvaesitso!
doanbactam 9mo ago
It's a shame for a free software.
benjijay 9mo ago
How disappointing. Been using premium for a decade now (got it in a 10p sale back in 2015! Those were the days) Time to start scoping out replacements, this thread is a great start
my_throwaway23 9mo ago
I've been using https://aiolauncher.app/ https://aiolauncher.app/ the past few years. It's great! Bit of a sidenote, and I might be an exception here, but I don't get the point of all these launchers - they're all the same! Some might look a little better, some might have an option or two extra, but otherwise they're all the same. Mostly the same drawer, mostly the same panel for quick access.
- dddw 9mo ago
  Looks nice!
31rf89e1f5e6 9mo ago
Been using it for well over 15 years, and I have paid for Prime. But recently ~1-2 years, when it go acquired I was sad, but hopping it would go open source... maybe. But after today, I'm removing it from all of my devices, and all of my relatives devices. And leaving an updated review, so people know about this.
j1elo 9mo ago
What happened with the Open Sourcing promises? https://www.osnews.com/story/143297/nova-launchers-open-source-release-blocked-by-its-owners-despite-contractual-obligations/ https://www.osnews.com/story/143297/nova-launchers-open-sour...
- prmoustache 9mo ago
  Promises only engage those that believe in them.
- nar001 9mo ago
  The original CEO who made that promise was kicked out, and the new one didn't care to follow it, supposedly in the dev's contract but not enough, since that didn't happen
SCdF 9mo ago
Do we know if this counts for Prime? Though tbh the writing has been on the wall for awhile. It's really frustrating, because it otherwise just gets out of your way, which is why I like it. I guess I have to dedicate an afternoon to finding an alternative.
- fcpk 9mo ago
  same thing here. com.teslacoilsw.launcher.prime is a different version and from what I see it doesn't have the tracking ... changing launchers when you have 200+ apps neatly grouped in folders would suck.
  - rpdillon 9mo ago
    One option is to move to a keyboard-based launcher that no longer requires you to organize your apps in colorful grids. KISS is like this. Tiny, fast, free.
SuperSandro2000 9mo ago
It used to be good :(
dagi3d 9mo ago
Thank you everyone for all the alternatives suggestions.
deleted 9mo ago
[deleted]
anshumankmr 9mo ago
Nova really made the perfect product. I remember paying for the premium version worth ₹400 or something back in 2014. I used it till 2023 after I switched to iPhone as my daily driver.
Perun 9mo ago
Any other launcher that lets you hide a folder behind a single icon? so tapping it opens the first app in the folder, and swiping up opens a folder itself. Nova served me well for more than 10 years, and I built my flow around this one feature.
- psittacus 9mo ago
  Pop-ups [1] in Niagara launcher do this. However, it comes with other unconventional UI decisions which might or might not be to your liking. [1]: https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/115-pop-ups https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/115-pop-ups
- maxglute 9mo ago
  Action, I think they invented it, but it's also gotten pretty bloated over the years.
- Perun 9mo ago
  Octopi supports it. In settings you can set "open folders by swiping". You can't do it on folder by foldery basis like in Nova, but that's not an issue for me
everdrive 9mo ago
I've never heard of Nova Lanucher. Apparently it's for Android. Smart phones are a cesspool for privacy. There's really no reason people should be using them for anything but the bare minimum tasks possible.
- ChrisRR 9mo ago
  cesspool*
- stavros 9mo ago
  Huh, I wonder why seven billion people think otherwise then.
  - everdrive 9mo ago
    Yes, absolutely. Large groups of people are often wrong about all sorts of things, and this is one of them.
ChrisRR 9mo ago
I installed Nova way back when the default android launcher was crap, nowadays it's not really any different. I guess I may as well uninstall it now
spidermonkey23 9mo ago
I had a go at finding a launcher that suits my preferences, and ended up back to square 1, the native launcher on Samsung Oneui. the killer feature is stackable widgets so you can reduce the real estate used for each one. That said,my other top picks are : Lawnchair +Lawnicons YAM Launcher (foss and minimal) Fossify launcher beta (bare bones typical launcher).
maxglute 9mo ago
Any launchers where you can set PNG as app icon? Or whats the safest version of Nova to downgrade back to?
shevy-java 9mo ago
The user has become the product.
AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
So, frustratingly, I can't seem to get the launcher to downgrade after it automatically updated last night. Someone on the thread linked to the previous version APK from a site called uptodown (glanced at it, didn't seem to be malware, but didn't do any real forensic analysis). I enabled sideloading on my phone, tried to "update" the app, but the OS then refused to install it, claiming it was invalid. Can't tell if it's an OS level safeguard or an app-level one. Very frustrating, either way. I had my version of Nova launcher locked for years on both my phone and tablet after the acquisition, but when I got a new phone I obviously had to install the latest-greatest, and at that point I forgot to disable the auto-update flag...
- ignoramous 9mo ago
  > Can't tell if it's an OS level safeguard or an app-level one. App version rollbacks are not allowed on Android. Even if it were, apps will have had to implement support for rollbacks (think database schema changes that must be undone etc).
- opan 9mo ago
  Rollbacks pretty much only work on LineageOS. I've seen this come up a lot in the last year as multiple F-Droid apps pushed out a bad update and people wanted a fix ASAP rather than in a couple weeks. You can probably extract the apk of the old version on your other phone, btw. http://7thzero.com/blog/extract-an-apk-from-android-devices-using-adb http://7thzero.com/blog/extract-an-apk-from-android-devices-...
  - AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
    Thanks. I took the nuclear option and uninstalled Nova completely before sideloading the previous version. Luckily, Nova has a very good backup/restore option, so I made a backup right before uninstalling and was back up and running in short order. I of course unchecked the box to allow auto updates. I'm hoping this buys me a little bit of time to explore other launcher options in detail.
phreack 9mo ago
I would honestly have stayed in version 6 of Nova because of the as yet unrecreated magical feature of allowing unread count badges on the home screen for many popular apps, that are not tied to notifications, via TeslaUnread. I've been trying to reverse engineer it a bit to see if I can recreate the functionality somehow, but all I've managed to figure out is that the icons are really widgets that look like icons and run _something_. Features like that one, and browser text reflow, are such must haves to me that we used to have a decade ago and lost along the way for no good reason, it's frustrating.
JohnFen 9mo ago
OK, Nova is gone from my devices. I replaced it with Smart Launcher. That seems OK. It's not as full-featured, but it does enough of what I need to be a good alternative.
bongothrowaway 9mo ago
I have been asked if these ads also apply to the paid version of Nova.
zbrozek 9mo ago
I want to avoid having a Google Search bar on my desktop, no gestures, no AI mode, no voice mode, etc. Is there a launcher for me?
brianpbeau 9mo ago
Enshitification for everyone by everyone. Remember when tech was fun, disruptive and mostly beneficial to the end user?
butz 9mo ago
It's about time we started switching whole Android OS, instead of replacing only launcher.
ap-andersson 9mo ago
New company have published this page on the website: https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay
AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
So the new stewards of Nova Launcher posted an official statement: https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay Pretty much confirms that ads will become a thing. However: > If ads are introduced, Nova Prime will remain ad free. Our guiding principles are clear: keep the experience clean and fast, avoid disruptive formats, and provide a straightforward way to keep the experience ad free. That's probably why I wasn't seeing any ads even after I got the update. I've still reverted to a previous version and disabled auto-updates, because I basically have zero faith that being a paid member will turn off any of their shady tracking stuff, even if ads are not visible.
nipperkinfeet 9mo ago
I was unaware that Nova was still in existence. My current preference is for Lawnchair.
OrangeMusic 9mo ago
If you're looking for something extremely simple, I recommend this one: https://github.com/BoD/a https://github.com/BoD/a
InfinityByTen 9mo ago
It seems it's not easy to find a non-search-first, with an app drawer that allows for horizontal card/page scrolling launcher that would get out of my way ASAP. The only widget I have is for the calendar. Pinning most used apps on the front page is an appreciated add on, but I think I could live without that too. I'll just pin 8 on them on home screen.
MarsIronPI 9mo ago
I'm curious: why would you use a proprietary program like Nova and not expect these kinds of behaviors? This sort of thing is exactly why I don't use software until it's actually released as free software, even if the developer promises that it will be open-sourced "sometime soon".
Andi 9mo ago
Solution: Just use a firewall to block all remote requests.
pxc 9mo ago
I just took a look in F-Droid, and it looks like there are more than 20 launchers in F-Droid that are under active development (updated within the past three months). A lot of them are very different from each other, and a few look quite nice. I was a long time Nova user, so clearly at one point I looked at the F/OSS offerings and didn't love any. But the longer I've used Android, the more I have come to appreciate the way F-Droid calls out anti-features, dependencies on proprietary services, etc. This kind of privacy violating stuff just can't sneak up on you on F-Droid, or get buried in a ton of fine print. (The extreme cases, of course, are patched out altogether lest an app simply be banned from the store entirely.) In the time since I first gave Nova a shot, the Play Store has become a source of absolute last resort for me, in sourcing apps. I think this time, I'll explore launchers that are exclusively F/OSS, and only via F-Droid, for at least a few months before I even consider recommendations from the Play Store. The wild thing is that I don't think you need to be either a F/OSS zealot or a miser to get it, at this point. Even if you're fine with proprietary software, even if you don't mind paying for your apps, it's too hard to find apps that are vetted for decent behavior outside of F-Droid. There is no store for "well-behaved, sometimes-proprietary apps". So that's my recommendation: even if you don't think of yourself as a F/OSS hardliner, consider looking to F-Droid first in seeking your replacement for Nova. There's something relaxing about getting your apps from a supplier that respects you.

406 points by celsoazevedo 9mo ago

For those still using Nova Launcher (custom launcher for Android), it seems that it's owned by a new company and the latest update comes with the Facebook Ads and Google AdMob SDKs and require extra permissions. 8.1.6: - Branch (analytics) - Bugsnag (crash report) 8.2.4: - Facebook Ads (advertisement) - Google AdMob (advertisement) - Branch (analytics) - Bugsnag (crash reporting) - Google CrashLytics (crash reporting) - Google Firebase Analytics (analytics)

fireflash38 9mo ago
Any good alternatives people are using? I've used Nova for absolutely ages
- canthonytucci 9mo ago
  Lawnchair is not as fancy but it works
  - Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
    It doesn't support adding pages to the home,sadly
    - notpushkin 9mo ago
      Did you mean tabs (to the drawer)? You totally can add new pages to the home – try moving an icon beyond the screen border.
      - Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
        No I mean that if in Brave I say "add this page to the home", the launcher gives an error
        GlitchRider47 9mo ago
        That's strange, that hasn't happened to me. Maybe a reinstall might fix the problem? I use it on a Pixel 8A
        Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
        Uh interesting. I'm on Pixel 8A too. Could be! I'll give it another shot
        notpushkin 9mo ago
        Ah, pages like in webpages. Gotcha. It’s interesting, Lawnchair works totally fine with these “app action” 1×1 widgets, and Firefox can add website shortcuts without any problem for me. I’ll try it in Brave a bit later.
    - spiffytech 9mo ago
      I get the error if I try dragging the icon to the home screen. But it works if I click "add to home screen" so it auto-places, then move the icon afterward. I've got a bunch of web pages on my Lawnchair home screen.
  - garciansmith 9mo ago
    Lawnchair is good. I just really want app drawer tabs, the only reason I've stuck with Nova.
  - ahartmetz 9mo ago
    People are suggesting mostly search-based launchers here. Lawnchair is a launcher similar to Nova (icon-based) which should be safer from enshittification because it's FOSS. Actually derived from an old Google Launcher... Yes, Lawnchair isn't packed with functionality, but it's also not packed with anti-functionality.
    - ahartmetz 9mo ago
      Background: I have just switched from Nova, for which I paid (Nova Prime), to Lawnchair, initially as a trial. But I'll probably stick with it.
- sgc 9mo ago
  I switched from Nova to Smart Launcher a couple years ago because it allowed me better customization of app groups - although I did need to work on the config a bit. I like it.
- dcl 9mo ago
  How much am I missing out by using the standard launcher my Pixel comes with? I haven't played with different launchers since the Nexus 4 and Android 2/3 (I think).
  - toast0 9mo ago
    I don't like the stock launcher because I can't remove the search bar and I never use the search bar. Nova feels like a no nonsense launcher that does what I need. I think last time it came up, the recommended option was missing something for me so I stayed with Nova, but the writing is on the wall. Checked again and I don't see a way to get a button to show the app drawer on Lawnchair, and I don't want to use a gesture, so that's going to be hard to use.
    - array_key_first 9mo ago
      I switched to Nova for the same reason. I paid for it, too. I pay and donate for good software all the time, but this is another sober reminder to never pay for proprietary software.
    - kristopolous 9mo ago
      Most of these other launchers seem to force a fucking search bar on you. It's distracting and I don't want it Is there a way to just pin an app to a version? Then Nova is fine
      - stavros 9mo ago
        I just tried a few launchers and none of them forced a search bar (or do you mean not on the home screen?). In fact, in Lawnchair and Octopi, I had to manually add a search bar if I wanted one.
        JohnFen 9mo ago
        Yeah, I tried out a handful of launchers too and none of them forced a search bar on me. Most of the had a search bar widget by default, but it was easy to remove.
- spondyl 9mo ago
  As a relatively new convert back to Android, I've been using Niagra Launcher and enjoying it.
- planetafro 9mo ago
  I use Niagra. So good once you get used to it.
  - cromka 9mo ago
    3. Types of Data collected Among the types of Personal Data that this Application collects, by itself or through the listed Data Processors, there are: Unique device identifiers Approximate geographic position (city level) IDs (package names) from installed apps Usage Data Cookies Oh boy...
    - GlitchRider47 9mo ago
      Yeah.. I used to use Niagra because it really is a great launcher but I don't like the data collection. A great FOSS alternative is Kvaesitso which doesn't have the exact same layout but it is search based. They also managed to implement a native search that in my opinion is better than Sesame.
- flexagoon 9mo ago
  Kvaesito is a great search-focused FOSS launcher
  - lawn 9mo ago
    This is also what I migrated to a while back. It's quite different compared to Nova and other launchers but after using it a while I've come to love it. Do yourself a favor and give it a few days before you dismiss it.
- Abishek_Muthian 9mo ago
  I haven't used an android launcher over a decade, stock LineageOS launcher works well for me i.e. to open app drawer and to click on apps. What do you folks use 3rd party launchers for?
  - ipcress_file 9mo ago
    I've been using Nova Launcher to mimic webOS for almost 10 years. I might be slightly too resistant to change!
  - mkozlows 9mo ago
    For not using the default Samsung launcher, which sucks.
    - imp0cat 9mo ago
      Nowadays, even the default Samsung launcher is very customizable and usable. Obviously it's no Nova, but it's not bad.
  - SkiFire13 9mo ago
    I've been using Nova Launcher since ~1year (after using it like 10 years ago) because Pixel Launcher didn't support double tap to sleep
    - UberFly 9mo ago
      Main reason I use it too.
  - opan 9mo ago
    I like to use non-default apps from F-Droid so it's easier to feel at home on any new device. I do try to only get phones with LineageOS support, but it's cool how much of my usual stuff I can throw on an Amazon tablet or Fire Stick also.
- kenrick95 9mo ago
  I switched to KISS Launcher several years back and had been loving it. I like the philosophy of search-based launcher. This way, if I don't actively search for an app, I won't be distracted into opening one
  - yummybrainz 9mo ago
    KISS launcher is excellent. I've been using it for years now and would never go back to any other style of launcher. The only improvement I could imagine is supporting multiple screens of widgets (i.e. swiping left/right or scrolling up/down). For folks interested in checking it out: Website: https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/ Source: https://github.com/Neamar/KISS https://github.com/Neamar/KISS Store: https://f-droid.org/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/ https://f-droid.org/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/
  - DanOpcode 9mo ago
    I made the switch to KISS some time ago. Really like it! I haven't missed anything. Simple and does the job. No distractions.
  - AlbinoDrought 9mo ago
    I did this as well when the previous Nova launcher news came out. It took maybe a day to get used to, but I like it much more now - I have nothing to organize, I just access what I want to use instead. It feels natural.
  - t0bia_s 9mo ago
    KISS launcher user for about 5 years and never looking back. Search line for everything is actually faster then browsing list of icons.
  - dugite-code 9mo ago
    I always find myself missing widgets with KISS. But then when I use a launcher like lawnchair with widgets I rarely end up actually using them. Wish there was something like widget drawer that was FOSS tbh
    - 9mo ago
- Krutonium 9mo ago
  I'm using Evie Launcher, but a really old version from just before the developer shut down the project and later removed it from the store. If you look today, you'll find a fairly convincing imposter that loves spamming you with ads, from a different developer. The APK is at least 6 years old now.
- dcreater 9mo ago
  Its ok to just stay on v7 no? Thats what im doing.
- BLKNSLVR 9mo ago
  I moved to Lawnchair when I recently-ish migrated to GrapheneOS. I can't remember why I didn't go with Nova Launcher again, might have been related to the permissions required. Lawnchair has fewer options, ie. is simpler, but I haven't, in practice, noticed any memorable differences.
  - murrayb 9mo ago
    I just switched to Lawnchair thanks for the recommendation. Seems to do everything I wanted from Nova anyway.
- flax 9mo ago
  I've been mostly happy with Action launcher. It has the few features I really liked from Nova that are missing from pixel launcher: I can make my home screens scroll in a circular/infinite manner, I can remove the search bar and the google news feed or whatever they call the left page, I can set more than one page in the dock. Unfortunately, the app list page isn't quite as configurable. There are folders rather than tabs, and there's an extra click necessary to search by app name. Overall, it does the job.
- Aluminum0643 9mo ago
  I've been using Octopi Launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopilauncher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopi...
  - raybb 9mo ago
    Do you know if this, or any other launcher for that matter, works well on the latest Android for Pixels? Ever dang launcher I try (Nova included) has this horrible problem where at some point during the day the app launcher becomes a wasteland of blanked out apps with no names and no order. Only fix is to restart the phone. It got a little better with Android 16 but not much.
    - JoshTriplett 9mo ago
      I use Octopi on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Works great, rock solid, zero issues.
      - Aluminum0643 9mo ago
        Also using it on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, running GrapheneOS. It's also working perfectly for me!
        JoshTriplett 9mo ago
        That's exactly the phone I'm using it on.
    - ilioscio 9mo ago
      It's working well here on a pixel 9 pro
  - breput 9mo ago
    Thank you! I had looked at several recommended launchers and none were real Nova Launcher replacements. I randomly saw your comment and was intrigued, especially since I hadn't seen a lot of sources mentioning Octopi Launcher as a suitable option. It is the perfect Nova Launcher replacement. The UI and features feels like a more polished Nova and transitioning to Octopi is such an intuitive process.
- ErenayDev 9mo ago
  I am using "Minimo Launcher". I have an OLED display. So its using less battery. Also it's open source. https://github.com/VaibhavLakhera/minimo-launcher https://github.com/VaibhavLakhera/minimo-launcher
- TrianguloY 9mo ago
  I'm still using Lightning launcher, will continue to use it as long as I'm able to
- anshumankmr 9mo ago
  Don't update? Could run for ages I feel.
- deleted 9mo ago
  [deleted]
- cons0le 9mo ago
  Here's the most stripped down launcher in the world: https://github.com/fandreuz/TUI-ConsoleLauncher https://github.com/fandreuz/TUI-ConsoleLauncher I don't need icons, swiping, widgets, or any of that nonsense. This one works great and you can ssh, use tmux right from the launcher
bandrami 9mo ago
Does this mean I need a Facebook account to use it?
- JohnFen 9mo ago
  No, it means the app is sharing data with Facebook.
AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
And yet somehow my launcher updated automatically during the night, despite the change in ownership and new permissions needed. Thanks, Google.
- prmoustache 9mo ago
  One of the reason I don't use the playstore.
  - itsTyrion 9mo ago
    One of the reasons I don't auto update stuff
spopejoy 9mo ago
It's weird, I'm on 8.2.4 but it hasn't asked me for any new permissions. It did use mobile data last October but none this month. Is network access a permission? I only see "Phone" granted. It may be because my aging phone is on Android 10, I auto-migrated Nova from an even older phone. Back then app drawers were in the free version, so after the migration I can't modify them (don't care, I didn't end up using that feature).

another_twist 9mo ago

Nova drained my erstwhile Android phones battery. Not sure if this has gotten any better.

rationalist 9mo ago

Thankfully I am using GrapheneOS, so I never gave the app network permissions. I will look for a new launcher anyways now. Thanks for sharing.

celsoazevedo 9mo ago
I've noticed that it retries some failed connections every minute, so while removing network access might fix the privacy side of things, it may have an impact on your battery life. Keep an eye on it.

unethical_ban 9mo ago

At least in Graphene, you can block the app from having network access, but stock launcher in Graphene has worked well for me. Damn these privacy-invading leeches.

ipcress_file 9mo ago

I'm still using an old version with the network access blocked. I'll use it until it stops working. If anyone knows of another launcher with app drawer tabs, let me know.

celsoazevedo 9mo ago
The latest version keeps retrying some failed connections. It's only Firebase, but it seems to be almost every minute. Not good for the battery life, I assume. No idea about old versions, but something to be aware of.

Fej 9mo ago

Do older versions of Nova have any security flaws which preclude using them? I've been using this app for ages and it's been essentially feature-complete for several years. A part of me wants to switch launchers for no other reason than "it is supported and not tracking me", but it is possible for software to be finished, and I believe Nova falls into that category. If there's no meaningful vulnerabilities in it, there's really no reason for me to switch away, at least not immediately.

Stolpe 9mo ago
Not today, but maybe tomorrow
KetoManx64 9mo ago
Disable the network permission and you've got nothing to really worry about.

Atlas-Marbles 9mo ago

Plenty of great open-source launchers on F-Droid.

DanOpcode 9mo ago
Good advice!
globular-toast 9mo ago
Some of the ones people are discussing in this thread aren't there, like Lawnchair.

aspbee555 9mo ago

I have been trying to figure out why my phone has beep going stupid and laggy with the launcher lately, now I know why

stbenjam 9mo ago

That’s disappointing. My primary launcher on my eink devices since it works so well on them.

DanOpcode 9mo ago
What devices are those? A phone with eink?
- stbenjam 9mo ago
  There are many android devices with eink screens. Mostly Chinese brands. BOOX, Hisense, etc. some phones. Some ereaders.
- dwedge 9mo ago
  In my case, Mudita Kompakt phone and Boox Go tablet for reading textbooks. Mudita has the stock launcher, Boox is full of bloatware and I installed Niagara

Semaphor 9mo ago

Well, that sucks. When the sale was announced, I tried several launchers, free and paid, and none of them were as good as Nova :/ Guess I’ll do another round.

franciscop 9mo ago
Please update here if you find any good alternative? I'm stuck in the same place
- jayknight 9mo ago
  Lawnchair has been good enough for me, get a recent development build, they don't release very often.
  - colordrops 9mo ago
    Lawnchair is the best open source launcher IMHO. It's feature reach but it does have one problem: the defaults are the opposite of sane lol.
    - E39M5S62 9mo ago
      I just switched to Lawnchair - took me quite a while to replicate the minimal look/feel I had with Nova. Thanks for recommending it!
- troyvit 9mo ago
  I've been having fun with Kvaesitso after it was recommended here. There are some things I'd change, but it's nice. https://github.com/MM2-0/Kvaesitso https://github.com/MM2-0/Kvaesitso
  - jemmyw 9mo ago
    I'm trying that one too. I did not like Octopi or KISS. Kvaesitso looks nice, I like the drawer and the drawer widgets are kind of cool too. The annoying thing that might drive me away is that you cannot set the order of favourites and the order changes depending on what you last used. Changing the order of something has to be very thoughtful or it quickly becomes frustrating - and with the favourites its not obvious that should be like a "recently used" list.

tholman 9mo ago

For those out of the know, Nova Launcher is an Android home screen replacement... so hits home when the root of your phone existence gets shook piece by piece.

breput 9mo ago
There have been enshitification clouds looming on the horizon for Nova Launcher for so long, I think many people (including me) were hoping it would just never happen. That said, check out Octopi Launcher. I installed it for the first time tonight[0] and it is exactly what you are looking for - a smoother, better Nova Launcher. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46688336 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46688336

Daz912 9mo ago

What's the problem exactly?

tlhunter 9mo ago
The homescreen may one day contain ads.
timeon 9mo ago
Spyware?
ChrisRR 9mo ago
Why does facebook need to know what my launcher is doing?
celsoazevedo 9mo ago
They've started displaying ads: https://www.reddit.com/r/NovaLauncher/comments/1qhzbws/is_novalaucher_giving_me_ads/ https://www.reddit.com/r/NovaLauncher/comments/1qhzbws/is_no... The SDKs are also part of the app even if you paid for it, and there are reports on reddit of paid users seeing ads (that might be a bug, but still). There's also the privacy side of this. It's not in my interest that my launcher sends data about me to Facebook/Meta.

mochsalman 9mo ago

I initially thought that switching to a lighter launcher like Nova would make my phone-apps launching faster. However, I soon realized that what I actually needed was something to boost my productivity, so I switched to a launcher with fewer distractions, like Yantra Launcher (terminal-based), which I've been using ever since.

ff2400t 9mo ago
I highly recommend you try Niagara launcher. It's the only non-grid based launcher I have tried that has actually been worth the little learning curve.
PurpleRamen 9mo ago
This looks like the opposite of productive? Just typing on a touchscreen is already slowing you down so much, that all productivity-gain is lost.
dddw 9mo ago
Oh man, thanks for this tip. This will be great on my preordered Clicks communicator.

pveierland 9mo ago

That sucks. I've been running the paid version for years - however it's clear that it hasn't been properly maintained for a while and it suffers from sporadic crashes. Any recommendations for launchers that are functionally similar? The launchers mentioned in this thread so far are quite different.

GlitchRider47 9mo ago
Lawnchair is similar, but it does have some bugs that they're still working through. If you're not set in the traditional page/app drawer launcher, I'd recommend Kvaesitso. It's a FOSS search based launcher. A bit of a learning curve but it is very performant and feature rich.

bastard_op 9mo ago

I've used nova on every android I've had since it came out to current, and when the former owner/dev warned people, I switched to lawnchair and didn't look back. Sounded like shenanigans and time to pull the ripcord on nova. RIP (not in ad/malware)

kristopolous 9mo ago

There's so many suggestions here that you open up and it's just a buy screen with comment reviews like "oh dearest me, I was lost in the darkness and then I found salvation with this app" I can't help but think there's a lot of devs here pushing their own products.

RobotToaster 9mo ago
At this point I just assume any recommendation on here that isn't for FOSS is a shill/bot.
- deleted 9mo ago
  [deleted]
hypfer 9mo ago
I mean this _is_ HN after all. That is the core mindset that is being pushed here. Y Combinator is a startup accelerator. It is just called "hacker" news because it's a nice sounding name. Not because it would actually be news for hackers nor because it would actually be culturally adjacent to hacker culture. Though, those aforementioned hackers still do seem to occasionally hang out here regardless. Probably some weird case of masochism.
- JohnFen 9mo ago
  > Probably some weird case of masochism. Or keeping an eye on the opposition.
- kristopolous 9mo ago
  I guess. This is ostensibly savvy users that will bounce at some confusing pay screen when you open the app and immediately uninstall

breput 9mo ago

I was a 10+ year long Nova Launcher user and knew this day was coming after the sale and layoffs[0][1]... This evening I at looked several replacement launchers, such as Lawnchair and even the stock Pixel launcher again, but Octopi Launcher[2] is the more modern, more refined Nova replacement that you are looking for. It was a very easy, natural transition process from Nova - all of the Nova features that I used were there (unlike Lawnchair), such as swipe up/down on icons to perform different actions. And little things like folder options, icon placement, and widget handling are SO much nicer on Octopi compared to Nova. Staggeringly better. I took a screenshot of each home screen page, set Octopi as the new default launcher, and was back to my previous configuration but with a significantly improved visual appearance, in about 15 minutes. It's a no-brainer upgrade from Nova. The Google Play install is free and basically unlimited, but there is an unobtrusive "Buy Me A Coffee" type button that allows you to donate either $1 or $3 to unlock some eye candy, which I did, but mostly just wanting to support the developer. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45170000 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45170000 [1] https://www.androidpolice.com/exclusive-cliff-wade-nova-launcher-interview/ https://www.androidpolice.com/exclusive-cliff-wade-nova-laun... [2] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopilauncher&hl=en_US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otp.octopi...

Semaphor 9mo ago
I liked it, but when I added a 4x1 widget (meteoblue forecast), that didn’t properly resize to the size available. Wasn’t a problem for Hyperion or Nova, was worse for Lawnchair.
- breput 9mo ago
  Widget sizing/appearance was probably the only surprise that I discovered between Nova and Octo. Resizing in Octo takes a bit of getting used to, but I was able to reproduce the appearance of all of my widgets. Padding is a little different and harder to discover than Nova - it is in the "Customize appearance" menu when you long tap on a widget. That is something to check out, as well as making sure Rounded Corners aren't enabled. There is also a "Freely position and resize items" option in the Launcher Settings->Home tab, which I do not have enabled, but might be necessary to get your widget sizing just right?

tonyhart7 9mo ago

does anyone know open source launcher that actually good ????

ckardaris 9mo ago
I am very satisfied with KISS launcher[1]. I have been using it for a while now. It's simple and gets out of the way. [1] https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/
onli 9mo ago
PieLauncher (https://github.com/markusfisch/PieLauncher https://github.com/markusfisch/PieLauncher) is good, but very different. Give it a try if a circular menu appearing where you touch the home screen sounds appealing (it's very efficient and easy to launch the apps).
shtrophic 9mo ago
Kvaesitso!

doanbactam 9mo ago

It's a shame for a free software.

benjijay 9mo ago

How disappointing. Been using premium for a decade now (got it in a 10p sale back in 2015! Those were the days) Time to start scoping out replacements, this thread is a great start

my_throwaway23 9mo ago

I've been using https://aiolauncher.app/ https://aiolauncher.app/ the past few years. It's great! Bit of a sidenote, and I might be an exception here, but I don't get the point of all these launchers - they're all the same! Some might look a little better, some might have an option or two extra, but otherwise they're all the same. Mostly the same drawer, mostly the same panel for quick access.

dddw 9mo ago
Looks nice!

31rf89e1f5e6 9mo ago

Been using it for well over 15 years, and I have paid for Prime. But recently ~1-2 years, when it go acquired I was sad, but hopping it would go open source... maybe. But after today, I'm removing it from all of my devices, and all of my relatives devices. And leaving an updated review, so people know about this.

j1elo 9mo ago

What happened with the Open Sourcing promises? https://www.osnews.com/story/143297/nova-launchers-open-source-release-blocked-by-its-owners-despite-contractual-obligations/ https://www.osnews.com/story/143297/nova-launchers-open-sour...

prmoustache 9mo ago
Promises only engage those that believe in them.
nar001 9mo ago
The original CEO who made that promise was kicked out, and the new one didn't care to follow it, supposedly in the dev's contract but not enough, since that didn't happen

SCdF 9mo ago

Do we know if this counts for Prime? Though tbh the writing has been on the wall for awhile. It's really frustrating, because it otherwise just gets out of your way, which is why I like it. I guess I have to dedicate an afternoon to finding an alternative.

fcpk 9mo ago
same thing here. com.teslacoilsw.launcher.prime is a different version and from what I see it doesn't have the tracking ... changing launchers when you have 200+ apps neatly grouped in folders would suck.
- rpdillon 9mo ago
  One option is to move to a keyboard-based launcher that no longer requires you to organize your apps in colorful grids. KISS is like this. Tiny, fast, free.

SuperSandro2000 9mo ago

It used to be good :(

dagi3d 9mo ago

Thank you everyone for all the alternatives suggestions.

deleted 9mo ago

[deleted]

anshumankmr 9mo ago

Nova really made the perfect product. I remember paying for the premium version worth ₹400 or something back in 2014. I used it till 2023 after I switched to iPhone as my daily driver.

Perun 9mo ago

Any other launcher that lets you hide a folder behind a single icon? so tapping it opens the first app in the folder, and swiping up opens a folder itself. Nova served me well for more than 10 years, and I built my flow around this one feature.

psittacus 9mo ago
Pop-ups [1] in Niagara launcher do this. However, it comes with other unconventional UI decisions which might or might not be to your liking. [1]: https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/115-pop-ups https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/115-pop-ups
maxglute 9mo ago
Action, I think they invented it, but it's also gotten pretty bloated over the years.
Perun 9mo ago
Octopi supports it. In settings you can set "open folders by swiping". You can't do it on folder by foldery basis like in Nova, but that's not an issue for me

everdrive 9mo ago

I've never heard of Nova Lanucher. Apparently it's for Android. Smart phones are a cesspool for privacy. There's really no reason people should be using them for anything but the bare minimum tasks possible.

ChrisRR 9mo ago
cesspool*
stavros 9mo ago
Huh, I wonder why seven billion people think otherwise then.
- everdrive 9mo ago
  Yes, absolutely. Large groups of people are often wrong about all sorts of things, and this is one of them.

ChrisRR 9mo ago

I installed Nova way back when the default android launcher was crap, nowadays it's not really any different. I guess I may as well uninstall it now

spidermonkey23 9mo ago

I had a go at finding a launcher that suits my preferences, and ended up back to square 1, the native launcher on Samsung Oneui. the killer feature is stackable widgets so you can reduce the real estate used for each one. That said,my other top picks are : Lawnchair +Lawnicons YAM Launcher (foss and minimal) Fossify launcher beta (bare bones typical launcher).

maxglute 9mo ago

Any launchers where you can set PNG as app icon? Or whats the safest version of Nova to downgrade back to?

shevy-java 9mo ago

The user has become the product.

AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago

So, frustratingly, I can't seem to get the launcher to downgrade after it automatically updated last night. Someone on the thread linked to the previous version APK from a site called uptodown (glanced at it, didn't seem to be malware, but didn't do any real forensic analysis). I enabled sideloading on my phone, tried to "update" the app, but the OS then refused to install it, claiming it was invalid. Can't tell if it's an OS level safeguard or an app-level one. Very frustrating, either way. I had my version of Nova launcher locked for years on both my phone and tablet after the acquisition, but when I got a new phone I obviously had to install the latest-greatest, and at that point I forgot to disable the auto-update flag...

ignoramous 9mo ago
> Can't tell if it's an OS level safeguard or an app-level one. App version rollbacks are not allowed on Android. Even if it were, apps will have had to implement support for rollbacks (think database schema changes that must be undone etc).
opan 9mo ago
Rollbacks pretty much only work on LineageOS. I've seen this come up a lot in the last year as multiple F-Droid apps pushed out a bad update and people wanted a fix ASAP rather than in a couple weeks. You can probably extract the apk of the old version on your other phone, btw. http://7thzero.com/blog/extract-an-apk-from-android-devices-using-adb http://7thzero.com/blog/extract-an-apk-from-android-devices-...
- AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago
  Thanks. I took the nuclear option and uninstalled Nova completely before sideloading the previous version. Luckily, Nova has a very good backup/restore option, so I made a backup right before uninstalling and was back up and running in short order. I of course unchecked the box to allow auto updates. I'm hoping this buys me a little bit of time to explore other launcher options in detail.

phreack 9mo ago

I would honestly have stayed in version 6 of Nova because of the as yet unrecreated magical feature of allowing unread count badges on the home screen for many popular apps, that are not tied to notifications, via TeslaUnread. I've been trying to reverse engineer it a bit to see if I can recreate the functionality somehow, but all I've managed to figure out is that the icons are really widgets that look like icons and run _something_. Features like that one, and browser text reflow, are such must haves to me that we used to have a decade ago and lost along the way for no good reason, it's frustrating.

JohnFen 9mo ago

OK, Nova is gone from my devices. I replaced it with Smart Launcher. That seems OK. It's not as full-featured, but it does enough of what I need to be a good alternative.

bongothrowaway 9mo ago

I have been asked if these ads also apply to the paid version of Nova.

zbrozek 9mo ago

I want to avoid having a Google Search bar on my desktop, no gestures, no AI mode, no voice mode, etc. Is there a launcher for me?

brianpbeau 9mo ago

Enshitification for everyone by everyone. Remember when tech was fun, disruptive and mostly beneficial to the end user?

butz 9mo ago

It's about time we started switching whole Android OS, instead of replacing only launcher.

ap-andersson 9mo ago

New company have published this page on the website: https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay

AdmiralAsshat 9mo ago

So the new stewards of Nova Launcher posted an official statement: https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay https://novalauncher.com/nova-is-here-to-stay Pretty much confirms that ads will become a thing. However: > If ads are introduced, Nova Prime will remain ad free. Our guiding principles are clear: keep the experience clean and fast, avoid disruptive formats, and provide a straightforward way to keep the experience ad free. That's probably why I wasn't seeing any ads even after I got the update. I've still reverted to a previous version and disabled auto-updates, because I basically have zero faith that being a paid member will turn off any of their shady tracking stuff, even if ads are not visible.

nipperkinfeet 9mo ago

I was unaware that Nova was still in existence. My current preference is for Lawnchair.

OrangeMusic 9mo ago

If you're looking for something extremely simple, I recommend this one: https://github.com/BoD/a https://github.com/BoD/a

InfinityByTen 9mo ago

It seems it's not easy to find a non-search-first, with an app drawer that allows for horizontal card/page scrolling launcher that would get out of my way ASAP. The only widget I have is for the calendar. Pinning most used apps on the front page is an appreciated add on, but I think I could live without that too. I'll just pin 8 on them on home screen.

MarsIronPI 9mo ago

I'm curious: why would you use a proprietary program like Nova and not expect these kinds of behaviors? This sort of thing is exactly why I don't use software until it's actually released as free software, even if the developer promises that it will be open-sourced "sometime soon".

Andi 9mo ago

Solution: Just use a firewall to block all remote requests.

pxc 9mo ago

I just took a look in F-Droid, and it looks like there are more than 20 launchers in F-Droid that are under active development (updated within the past three months). A lot of them are very different from each other, and a few look quite nice. I was a long time Nova user, so clearly at one point I looked at the F/OSS offerings and didn't love any. But the longer I've used Android, the more I have come to appreciate the way F-Droid calls out anti-features, dependencies on proprietary services, etc. This kind of privacy violating stuff just can't sneak up on you on F-Droid, or get buried in a ton of fine print. (The extreme cases, of course, are patched out altogether lest an app simply be banned from the store entirely.) In the time since I first gave Nova a shot, the Play Store has become a source of absolute last resort for me, in sourcing apps. I think this time, I'll explore launchers that are exclusively F/OSS, and only via F-Droid, for at least a few months before I even consider recommendations from the Play Store. The wild thing is that I don't think you need to be either a F/OSS zealot or a miser to get it, at this point. Even if you're fine with proprietary software, even if you don't mind paying for your apps, it's too hard to find apps that are vetted for decent behavior outside of F-Droid. There is no store for "well-behaved, sometimes-proprietary apps". So that's my recommendation: even if you don't think of yourself as a F/OSS hardliner, consider looking to F-Droid first in seeking your replacement for Nova. There's something relaxing about getting your apps from a supplier that respects you.