18 ms·

Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher

255 points by KORraN 8mo ago

ChrisArchitect 8mo ago
the timing of this Related: Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 (lots of good discussion about alternatives in this thread by the way)
JohnFen 8mo ago
> We will keep data collection minimal and purpose driven, and we will be clear about what is collected and why. We do not sell personal data. I don't believe this at all. If they aren't lying, then why did they add new trackers? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655
- consp 8mo ago
  > We do not sell personal data. Companies usually treat "anonymized" data as non personal. So in their eyes they aren't selling your personal data but their "non-personal" data. The fact it isn't does not matter because profit. The fact they added Facebook and google trackers and not listed a why is obvious enough. Fortunately for me it did not update yet and is now gone.
  - bux93 8mo ago
    They don't sell the data, since it's collected by Facebook and not sent to the company itself? Smart (also, evil) if true.
herrherrmann 8mo ago
Ugh, quite annoying. My next phone might be an Android (instead of the current iPhone), and I was looking forward to returning to Nova Launcher, after having used it many years ago as my favorite launcher. This feels like a big no-go now. What are other good customizable launchers on Android nowadays?
- bastard_op 8mo ago
  I've been using lawnchair as a launcher that is open source (apache) since the first news broke months when the previous dev/owner warned people what was coming, and it works just fine. Not quite as versatile as Nova Launcher, but with 100% less adware now that the new adware company is running up in people with a bait and switch. Enshittification is real!
  - mbirth 8mo ago
    Early on, Lawnchair implemented a blacklist to hide apps they deemed “bad”. They only removed it after lots of protest from users. That has “burned” this launcher for me.
    - aceki 8mo ago
      For those curious, see this gem of a closed PR: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/pull/905 https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/pull/905
      - JohnFen 8mo ago
        I found this discussion (linked to in the PR) more illuminating: https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/7azc2i/comment/dpgst0l/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/7azc2i/comment/dpg... I tried Lawnchair out when figuring out what I was going to replace Nova with. I didn't end up choosing it, but if I had known they tried to do this (even if it only made it to the alpha channel) I wouldn't have even bothered to try it out.
        colordrops 8mo ago
        9 years ago. I've been using the launcher and it works great. Does everything I needed from Nova and it's open source. Every project has hiccups.
        8mo ago
cheald 8mo ago
Nova has been my favorite launcher for years, but after this, I may have to look elsewhere. Even as a paid user, I don't have much confidence that I'm not being sold off for ad exploitation.
- Tostino 8mo ago
  I read another post this morning that there was already an update last night with a bunch of tracking code added, and additional permissions required (that didn't trigger anything for the user to know of those additional permissions). I am a paid Nova user from a decade ago, but haven't used it in ages fwiw.
  - cheald 8mo ago
    I guess mine hasn't updated yet. I'm a paid user, but I'll be migrating elsewhere. What a disappointment.
  - consp 8mo ago
    I missed the post yesterday. Good to read it today. Uninstalled after reading this and switched to Octopi (interestingly the same name as the Pi-based 3D printing webservice). Only missing features so far is more icons on the drawer in width and top-used. Then again insta-search also solves this.
post_break 8mo ago
When a company says that they're here to stay after an acquisition that usually means the opposite.
- iqandjoke 8mo ago
  Like Apple acquired Topsy. Cannot find good free Twitter / X search since then.
j1elo 8mo ago
> Open sourcing a product responsibly involves licensing, security, build tooling, contribution workflow, and trademark stewardship. You can scratch at the very least contribution workflow from that list; anyhow, the original author had already spent months preparing the open source release, ironing out legal and dependency issues, so everything should already be there or pretty close, at least on the technical side of things (arguably one of the biggest sides)
rdmuser 8mo ago
It was sold back in 2022 to Branch Metrics https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/branch-strikes-twice-with-nova-launcher-and-sesame-search-acquisition https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/branch-strikes-... August 2024 everyone working on it was laid off except the original dev https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/9/24217077/nova-launcher-layoffs-only-original-developer-remaining https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/9/24217077/nova-launcher-lay... September 2025 the original dev left after being told to stop work on open sourcing it https://www.theverge.com/news/773937/nova-launcher-founder-left-kevin-barry-branch-open-source-android https://www.theverge.com/news/773937/nova-launcher-founder-l...
- philjackson 8mo ago
  Thanks for taking the time to post these.
- esafak 8mo ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_(company) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_(company)
  - alias_neo 8mo ago
    Their former name "Branch Metrics", tells you all you need to know about them. > Branch also uses tools for cohort analysis and touchpoint tracking Just the kind of company I want in my phone.
- raybb 8mo ago
  Seems like there might be enough coverage that Nova Launcher is ready for a Wikipedia article now. Previously it was deleted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Launcher https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Launcher
thefz 8mo ago
> Are you going to add ads? > Nova needs a sustainable business model to support ongoing development and maintenance. We are exploring different options, including paid tiers and other approaches. As many of you have already anticipated, we are also evaluating ad based options for the free version. > 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. Seems pretty clear.
londons_explore 8mo ago
Nova launcher used to have loads of great features, but it seems now the best of those features have made it to the stock Google/Samsung launchers
naikrovek 8mo ago
the url "nova-is-here-to-stay" says to me that Nova will be discontinued in about 90 seconds.
- gruez 8mo ago
  "Nova Launcher's Incredible Journey"
branon 8mo ago
Haven't heard of Nova in a very long time, this was one of the original customizable launchers for Android wasn't it? If it's gone this long without being open-sourced, it might be time to let go. Been using https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/ for many years and have no complaints.
- bisby 8mo ago
  KISS is a complete paradigm shift from other phone launchers. It takes some getting used to. It has made me rethink how I use my phone from time to time because I have it set to sort by recently used: I only have a few apps I use regularly it seems. Not for everyone, but it's my preferred way to use a phone now.
  - LelouBil 8mo ago
    Didn't know about KISS, I know Kvaesitso is also a search-focused launcher (that seems to have more features ? I didn't download KISS) https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/
  - PlatoIsADisease 8mo ago
    I suppose it doesn't matter because there is probably a search or something, but I only use my banking app and children's games every month or 2. I like knowing where they are at. 2 swipes away. Also, doesn't this mean more attention to the screen? I can blindly pick apps without looking at my screen. Makes it useful when running + audiobook + taking notes.
    - bisby 8mo ago
      Yes. Search works for finding things once every few months. Or, I've found that they tend to not really be that far down the list, because I only use a few apps per month anyway, so "1 month ago" is actually pretty recent in that regard. But I also have specific apps pinned. Messaging, Browser, Camera all have fixed icons across the bottom of the screen, so I could blindly pick those as well as on any other launcher. And in some cases, it means more attention, but more intent - which I find good. I'm far less likely to randomly open an app just because I see it on the screen. "Oh I havent played this game in a few months" never pops up (unless I scroll the complete app list, which it still has). It's a trade off, for me, it means faster (but not no look - but tbh, I never have had that level of accuracy with any launcher) access to my most common used apps, and a slight decrease in rarely used apps. So I save half a second 10 times a day, and lose 5 seconds once a week. It's a tradeoff that I'm willing to make based on my particular usage patterns.
fullstop 8mo ago
I switched to Smart Launcher Pro, and it seems to scratch the same itch. It was more expensive, though. Nova carried me for almost a decade, and I'll miss it.
- JohnFen 8mo ago
  That's what I switched to as well after evaluating a half dozen or so other ones. I agree, it's fine. It's missing a couple of niceties that I enjoyed with Nova, but nothing I can't live without.
  - fullstop 8mo ago
    They recently added a bottom dock option, and I was very happy to have that back.
mwkaufma 8mo ago
Immediate uninstall.
microflash 8mo ago
What an undeserving fate. A beloved app now being passed from vulture to vulture who rip off every possible morsel they can. When Branch bought Nova, I moved on to use Lawnchair [1], which is open source. Although it has been in beta like forever, with occasional glitches, it works well enough and has enough features to satisfy my customization cravings. [1]: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair
- theturtletalks 8mo ago
  It’s becoming evident that open-source is the only thing that can cure Enshittification. Every proprietary application will become enshittified, it’s just a matter of when.
  - saubeidl 8mo ago
    rms was right all along.
    - LtWorf 8mo ago
      as always
  - charcircuit 8mo ago
    Many open source projects fail to find sustainable funding. If a cure is not financially viable it is not much different than the cure not existing.
    - rpdillon 8mo ago
      So, you're not wrong. People that work for money will want money, and ultimately can be bought. People that work for love produce the best they can with limited resources, and are often broke. I don't think we've found a way to bridge the gap. I've come to generally rely on work people do for love, and I contribute to them, but it's clearly not sustainable unless they have another source of income. Anyone who solves this will produce immense value.
cicko 8mo ago
Time to say goodbye, I guess. It's been a while and things kept going south. Hello Lawnchair, my old friend.
astrolx 8mo ago
After many years of Nova, switched to Olauncher. I'm a happy person.
whalesalad 8mo ago
I take it the stock android launcher these days is not good?
- fooqux 8mo ago
  It's "fine". In fact, a lot of the features that Nova pioneered has made its way into the stock launcher. But it does what it does and that's all. It's been a long, long time since Google believed in the concept of options or customizability. If you want to do something outside the default, well you can go straight to hell. Which is fine, I guess, since we still have great options for launchers out there.
- fullstop 8mo ago
  It's fine, and it works. I have a Pixel, though, and there's no way to disable the google search box on the homescreen. I will never use the search box, yet it dominates a good portion of my screen.
  - ilvez 8mo ago
    I think the only reason not to use stock.. I guess once of the main reasons people look elsewhere. And I don't actually need fancy features. Probably there are more annoyances, but I never get to those since the search just kills it quick.
  - rpdillon 8mo ago
    Is there a way to disable "swipe right for news feed"? I hated that inclusion in the Pixel launcher.
    - blazerunner 8mo ago
      Yeah it can be turned off in stock launcher (at least I did on my Pixel 9 Pro XL).
  - rurp 8mo ago
    I hate that search box, it's ridiculous that they force it on users. On the plus side looking up how to get rid of it led me to Lawnchair which I have been happily using for many years at this point.
mfkp 8mo ago
I recently switched to a OnePlus 15 and Nova Launcher had a really annoying 0.5-1 second delay every time you went back home. I've been a paid Nova user and used it on every android device for the past 10 years or so. I ended up migrating to the stock OnePlus launcher and it's actually surprisingly good, other than you have to disable the stupid google recommended page every time you reboot the phone, so I'm still open to alternatives.
- tetris11 8mo ago
  Trebuchet (a "launcher", heh) is the stock Lineage one, and it is genuinely fine. App screen, home screen, nested folders. Nothing more you really want. Unfortunately it's built/bundled with Lineage, and you can't find a standalone APK for it anywhere
- dzaima 8mo ago
  That's an OxygenOS 16.0 bug; worked fine on 15.0, and broken on all (~five?) launchers I tested on 16.0. (currently on Octopi Launcher, and just live with that annoying delay until it Hopefully™ gets fixed)
  - eikaramba 8mo ago
    see my reply above for a fix
    - dzaima 8mo ago
      Damn, what a funky "fix". Thanks! (luckily I can take the simplified version since I already use button navigation)
- eikaramba 8mo ago
  let me make your day. this will fix the problem 100% -> https://old.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comments/1p3pcnt/guide_fix_custom_launcher_lag_gestures_on_oos_16/ https://old.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comments/1p3pcnt/guide_fix_... I couldn't believe it myself but by basically force closing the settings menu the drawer animation will be gone until you reboot :)
_DeadFred_ 8mo ago
I'm really behind on this stuff but what does this mean for Sesame. It's all just dead now, right?
aspbee555 8mo ago
I was having issues recently with my Pixel phone hanging/freezing/going stupid, it was Nova. I changed to Lawnchair yesterday after learning this and works much better and my battery is no longer draining for no apparent reason
- algo_trader 8mo ago
  > my battery is no longer draining for no apparent reason Oh man. I just replaced the battery on my 5 year phone - for the sole reason of not having to reconfigure Nova on a new phone :\
  - mfkp 8mo ago
    You know you can export your Nova configuration and import it on a new phone, right?
    - warkdarrior 8mo ago
      I offer a Nova-configuration-transfer service for $49.95. Send me your old and new phones, a printed list of passwords, and a prepaid return envelope.
    - algo_trader 8mo ago
      The irony, Mrs Morissette, is that Nova caused the battery to appear to fail, and would drain the battery still on a new phone
mastermedo 8mo ago
What a throwback. Nova launcher sounded familiar, but I wasn't sure where to place it in my head. When I saw the logo I was immediately transported to memories of using lineage OS and bricking my new Samsung Note 4. I was trying to customize every button combination to do something smart back then. The good old days when I had the time to fix the phone after every update. I've since moved to the apple ecosystem... Set and forget.
- baggachipz 8mo ago
  > I've since moved to the apple ecosystem... Set and forget. Careful, you'll get blasted for that in these parts. Until about 7 years ago, I had been an Android absolutist. Custom ROMs, launchers, you name it. I sneered at those Apple-loving simpletons. Then, after missing several important phone calls in a day due to the phone 'app' not working properly, I got fed up and got a Nexus 6, the official Google phone and the reference implementation for Android. The phone was big and ugly, but at least I was still using a "real" operating system. Then, as I went through the app store looking for some needed apps, I realized that I couldn't find what I wanted. What I downloaded and installed turned out to be scams and hijacked the phone as ad-riddled malware. It slowly dawned on me: The Play Store is anarchistic, lawless hellscape. I was too old for this shit. I went and got an iPhone and never looked back. I turn it on, it does things. I don't have to worry about it. Yes, the software quality isn't near perfect, and they seem to be gradually enshittifying their app store. But at least they make a token effort to keep things in a somewhat curated state. It's night and day, far as I'm concerned. I've gotten to the point where I just want my things to work. I don't want to spend hours tweaking and troubleshooting. I realize I'm in a cult compound, but it's better than the Mad Max world outside.
  - NamlchakKhandro 8mo ago
    your pants are so on fire
    - baggachipz 8mo ago
      no u
mbix77 8mo ago
On any Android phone I immediately install Niagara. Best launcher by far. Makes everything so efficient and beautiful.
- NelsonMinar 8mo ago
  Niagara is amazing. It's quite different from other launchers, so either it works for you or doesn't. It perfectly matches what I was doing before, which was searching for apps by name to launch them.
  - rpdillon 8mo ago
    Doesn't KISS do this? I'm curious why Niagara when KISS is probably lighter/smaller.
    - sanex 8mo ago
      Haven't tried KISS, just looked at screenshots. Niagara tries to be slightly customizable and aesthetically pleasing. I've been using (and paying for) it for years. Its plenty lightweight to be snappy on even older model phones.
  - LelouBil 8mo ago
    There's also the open source Kvaesitso ! [0] https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/
drnick1 8mo ago
Are launchers needed at all? I find the default GrapheneOS interface to be serviceable and I did not know what a "launcher" was until fairly recently.
- scblock 8mo ago
  It depends on what you're looking for. I have a Pixel 9a with Graphene on it and wanted to customize my icons which I don't think the stock launcher allows. Went with Lawnchair and set it up mostly the same as the stock Pixel launcher otherwise.
ilvez 8mo ago
I was thinking what else deteriorated from best to worst.. Poweramp.
- hexagonwin 8mo ago
  i still use it.. how has it gone bad?
  - ilvez 8mo ago
    For me it started as simple way to play music on your phone. It had very direct intuitive navigation and control. Now if I look at it, it's complex over-designed and I remember struggling with doing simple things like navigation. Sorry for not being too specific, I haven't used it much over past years and haven't got it installed anymore. When I need to play stuff on my phone directly, I just use VLC. Probably the profile of user just changed and I'm not falling into one anymore.
tecleandor 8mo ago
"We are a Swedish company building products that help people get online, used by millions of people worldwide." So I look for them. They have a "Free wifi connection" / "Wifi passwords map" app. It surprises me because it has a good score on Google Play but then I begin to check the reviews, and a bunch of them go like: "Five stars because if you do a good review you can use it for free". I install it and on starting it and in the first minute: Asks you to create an account but you can't click on the terms of service or privacy policy, the links don't work. I skip it. It tries to change your default launcher. It tries to change your default browser. It asks you to share your home wifi password with them. Pops up adds everywhere. Tries to get a good review from you. No thanks, not even near.
- ajkjk 8mo ago
  giving anything to the user in return for a good review should be grounds for disqualification from app stores. (and it should be legally required for app stores to enforce it)
  - nix0n 8mo ago
    Since they claim to be a Swedish company, it might be worth filing a report with the Swedish consumer agency[0]. I am not a lawyer, and especially not a Swedish lawyer, so I can't say how illegal this is in Sweden or what if anything will happen. [0]https://www.konsumentverket.se/en/articles/report-to-the-swedish-consumer-agency/ https://www.konsumentverket.se/en/articles/report-to-the-swe...
    - _DeadFred_ 8mo ago
      The Sweden that gave us Spotify and Candy Crush (the game that showed every tech company that they need to incorporate really really awful manipulation of users)? That country loves their evil software.
      - deleted 8mo ago
        [deleted]
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vgivanovic 8mo ago
I've used Nova Launcher for years (don't know if I'm paid), but I'll be happy to pay for an ad free version. I know there is a long history of companies buying another company for a product and then killing it after a period of time. I'm willing to give Instabridge the benefit of doubt... for a while. If they do decide that Nova Launcher is not a fit, I hope they open source it so that current users are not left on the lurch.
throwa356262 8mo ago
It's 2026, why are people still using custom launchers? Serious question from a former Nova Prime user.
- manfre 8mo ago
  Why? To avoid using Google search. It's been an inferior search product for years. Last time I used the default launcher on a pixel, I couldn't change it to a better search product, so I changed launcher.
- saxonww 8mo ago
  I don't want a big search bar on my home screen, and there's no way around it with the Pixel Launcher except use a different launcher.
- XiS 8mo ago
  Honestly... I just wants a launcher with tabs to sort apps in categories (no not app groups). Nova Prime almost gone, before that Apex Launcher... And every other launcher seems to just love to just present a search bar to find your apps and use some magic sorting algorithm to sort your apps... I want predictable, user ordered apps in tabs so I can open one by heart with my eyes closed.
  - bcraven 8mo ago
    I'm with you... and have yet to find the solution. Somehow only Nova does tabbed app drawer pages (and allows folders within them).
  - elcapitan 8mo ago
    Same. I organize my phone into screens by topic (apps and some widgets), that allows me to keep a mental model without remembering app names etc. Will probably be hard to find a 1:1 replacement for Nova Launcher, if it enshittifies :/
  - AndrewDucker 8mo ago
    I'm still using Apex. Shouldn't I be?
nixosbestos 8mo ago
It blows my mind how many stories hit the front page, every day, that bottom out on whining about proprietary software. I've literally been talking about the Win10/11 whining for 3+ years, and yet EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK THERE ARE MORE. Lawnchair is *EXCELLENT*. I say that as a former Nova Launcher user. And Lawnchair is fully OSS and actively developed. I just cannot fathom people who enjoy this non-stop BS rollercoaster and are happy to be passed from OG dev, to scummy publisher, to ??? publisher. And all just be happy about that instead of ... why am I even typing this shit. The people that care, care and use OSS or migrate when the writing is on the wall. The people that allow themselves to get jerked around and just take it are going to keep just taking it. And whining about it, while changing none of their behavior. (Totally not related; see HN and the constant cycle of people shitting on decentralization and then being pikachu-shocked when proprietary centralized services do what they always do). (Though, it's nice to finally, finally see a predominance of anecdotes of Linux experiences that aren't based on 3 year old distro ISOs. EDIT: 3 is generous, I saw people talking about a 20.04 LTS spin less than a year ago and acting like that was indicative of Linux on Desktop). To be fair, I'm probably just way off base here. A company whose focus is absolutely not an Android Launcher surely won't enshittify or sell it in due course. Surely. Surely, surely, surely. Right? Like last time?
- warkdarrior 8mo ago
  Lawnchair blacklists/used to blacklist apps they did not like. That does seem user friendly.
  - elcapitan 8mo ago
    What kind of apps did they blacklist, and why?
    - brovonov 8mo ago
      It seems to be pirated icon packs. see the other comment in this same parent comment.
      - 8mo ago
fenwick67 8mo ago
Thanks for the lawnchair recommendations, y'all. It's been real, Nova Launcher. Sleep now my sweet prince.
pjjpo 8mo ago
Haven't used Nova for a while and at first was curious if this was good for bringing it back from unmaintenance. The heavy focus on sustainability and marketing in this blog makes it seem unlikely though. Switched to Pear when Nova got unstable after a Pixel upgrade and I noticed it hadn't been updated in years. Been working well though will keep any eye on any other recommendations that show up in this thread.
LoganDark 8mo ago
> What this means right now > Nova is not shutting down. Our immediate focus is simple: [...] So it will be shutting down or gutted into a privacy nightmare. That's all I needed to see.
realaaa 8mo ago
yeah nah.. Will Nova become open source? We know this matters to many of you. It is something we are actively evaluating. Open sourcing a product responsibly involves licensing, security, build tooling, contribution workflow, and trademark stewardship. We do not have a decision to share yet, but we will be transparent once we do.
julianz 8mo ago
I used Nova paid for years, but moved back to the stock Samsung launcher when Nova started having issues with widgets not refreshing (Outlook calendar view was the worst, it would work for a day or two and then just get stuck). I guess I should try something else now.
RandyOrion 8mo ago
Using Lawnchair for more than a year now. No major issues on my device with Android 13 and Lineage OS 22.2. Will not look at other alternatives for a long time.
jerrygoyal 8mo ago
I've been a nova user for the last 7 years or so.
greatgib 8mo ago
> "building products that help people get online" To me looks sounds like the motto of a company made to defraud people of their money. Otherwise, very sad the demise and enshittification of this Launcher that was really one of the very good one around the good old time of the nexus 5.
voidey 8mo ago
Nova Launcher Prime was good, but nkw I use Pie launcher which is OSS and minimal. Although it has very less features when compared.
NamlchakKhandro 8mo ago
Niagra Launcher is where it's at for stable out of your way intuitive.
BatteryMountain 8mo ago
I got fed up with Nova and all the others to the point that I've built my own launcher in two evenings. Its just a black screen (no wallpaper or widgets) with a list of alphabetical scrollable apps (almost like how Windows Phone / Lumia looked), no icons/colours. Just black with white text & accents. You can tag an app as a favourite and it will show at the top. Thats it. No internet connection, no real customizations. It works amazingly well and fast and looks awesome on OLED. Once you are used to it, everything else (incl iOS) looks like a circus. If you are an app developer, remember to add a black/oled theme to your apps. A good chunk of my apps have them and they fit so well with my launcher.
- sjw987 8mo ago
  I've never done Android app development. How simple or advanced are we talking to build something like this? This sounds like my exact setup with Octopi. Just I have 4 scrollable home screens with the 4 most used apps as large white icons.
batrat 8mo ago
I use Niagara Launcher because of the simplicity and quick access to every app. I highly recommend to everyone who wants a fast launcher and clean look.
- globular-toast 8mo ago
  Closed source. Fool me once...
- martsa1 8mo ago
  Niagara is exquisite.
LelouBil 8mo ago
Personally, I stopped using Nova launcher years ago. Now I use Kvaesitso, which is search-focused exactly how I used to configure Nova. https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/
gytdev 8mo ago
I am a paying Nova Prime user and I really love that I can press on an app to open it. OR swipe up on a app to open a directory where I put similar apps
gytdev 8mo ago
Hope the dev will opensource it and do smth like what Maps.me did wirh Organic maps
paprikanotfound 8mo ago
A few years I started working on a launcher, built from scratch with jetpack compose. It has all the basic functionality, and some very nice details like multi touch support, similar to iOS. Though I never released it since I got burnt out and I stopped using Android. This is making me want to go back to it and finish it.
sjw987 8mo ago
Sad news. I've been using Nova for years now, across multiple devices. Thankfully my build is super minimalistic and another launcher was able to replicate it pretty quickly. Black wallpaper, white icon pack, list app drawer with a few folders, 4 scrollable home screens with large white icons for the most frequent apps (browser, Gemini, personal lifestyle logging app, Signal conversation with wife). The idea that there might be ads (albeit on the free tier) is ridiculous, but then again that is the final frontier for adtech companies. I've often thought the Google stock launcher will likely soon have ads, just like Microsoft started trying to slip them in with Windows 10.
bodge5000 8mo ago
I tried a few alternatives last night but ended up going with Lawnchair. I miss some of the deeper customisation of Nova, but its otherwise nice and stable and, most importantly, not spyware. I'm not sure if this would actually affect me in the short term as a Nova Prime user (unsure if the extra trackers were added there too), but in the long term it certainly would
llmthrow0827 8mo ago
Can someone explain why launchers matter so much to them? All the apps I use are on a single page and it's just one button press; what more would I need than that?
- bux93 8mo ago
  OEM launchers often include annoying anti-features, like a screen you can't remove and that has the brand's voice assistant. They also tend to be slow, bad at search, and have all kinds of unnecessary phone-home functionality like sharing your location with their owners (austensibly to show the weather forecast). Besides, I have a work phone and a private phone - different brands, same launcher.
- ChoGGi 8mo ago
  I have lawnchair now (from Nova), I use it to remove the search bar, add more buttons to the dock, and a custom icon pack (though I think that'll work on stock launcher). I assume I switched to using it since Google changed something I found annoying?
andrewaylett 8mo ago
Shout out for Smart Launcher, which I'm very much enjoying: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ginlemon.flowerfree https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ginlemon.flowe...
alexp2021 8mo ago
I see Nova has been very popular. Why did the original developer sell it? There must be some business model for these sorts of popular apps that don't involve selling it? Crowdfunding?
mancerayder 8mo ago
I use Nova for to remove the Google search bar on the Pixel desktop. And as a secondary benefit, Nova remembers app locations when I change phones. What should I do that's hassle-free? Is there an open source equivalent that's likely to stay alive in a year or three?
- baby_souffle 8mo ago
  Smart launcher is a pretty good replacement. It isn't a one to one but they have been pretty responsive to users asking for certain missing features. Pricing is pretty reasonable and the team is responsive.
vladstudio 8mo ago
Uninstalled. Thanks HN
etyhhgfff 8mo ago
TLDR; Nova will add ads, will not go open source and might shutdown.

255 points by KORraN 8mo ago

the timing of this Related: Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 (lots of good discussion about alternatives in this thread by the way)

JohnFen 8mo ago

> We will keep data collection minimal and purpose driven, and we will be clear about what is collected and why. We do not sell personal data. I don't believe this at all. If they aren't lying, then why did they add new trackers? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655

consp 8mo ago
> We do not sell personal data. Companies usually treat "anonymized" data as non personal. So in their eyes they aren't selling your personal data but their "non-personal" data. The fact it isn't does not matter because profit. The fact they added Facebook and google trackers and not listed a why is obvious enough. Fortunately for me it did not update yet and is now gone.
- bux93 8mo ago
  They don't sell the data, since it's collected by Facebook and not sent to the company itself? Smart (also, evil) if true.

herrherrmann 8mo ago

Ugh, quite annoying. My next phone might be an Android (instead of the current iPhone), and I was looking forward to returning to Nova Launcher, after having used it many years ago as my favorite launcher. This feels like a big no-go now. What are other good customizable launchers on Android nowadays?

bastard_op 8mo ago
I've been using lawnchair as a launcher that is open source (apache) since the first news broke months when the previous dev/owner warned people what was coming, and it works just fine. Not quite as versatile as Nova Launcher, but with 100% less adware now that the new adware company is running up in people with a bait and switch. Enshittification is real!
- mbirth 8mo ago
  Early on, Lawnchair implemented a blacklist to hide apps they deemed “bad”. They only removed it after lots of protest from users. That has “burned” this launcher for me.
  - aceki 8mo ago
    For those curious, see this gem of a closed PR: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/pull/905 https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/pull/905
    - JohnFen 8mo ago
      I found this discussion (linked to in the PR) more illuminating: https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/7azc2i/comment/dpgst0l/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/7azc2i/comment/dpg... I tried Lawnchair out when figuring out what I was going to replace Nova with. I didn't end up choosing it, but if I had known they tried to do this (even if it only made it to the alpha channel) I wouldn't have even bothered to try it out.
      - colordrops 8mo ago
        9 years ago. I've been using the launcher and it works great. Does everything I needed from Nova and it's open source. Every project has hiccups.
        8mo ago

cheald 8mo ago

Nova has been my favorite launcher for years, but after this, I may have to look elsewhere. Even as a paid user, I don't have much confidence that I'm not being sold off for ad exploitation.

Tostino 8mo ago
I read another post this morning that there was already an update last night with a bunch of tracking code added, and additional permissions required (that didn't trigger anything for the user to know of those additional permissions). I am a paid Nova user from a decade ago, but haven't used it in ages fwiw.
- cheald 8mo ago
  I guess mine hasn't updated yet. I'm a paid user, but I'll be migrating elsewhere. What a disappointment.
- consp 8mo ago
  I missed the post yesterday. Good to read it today. Uninstalled after reading this and switched to Octopi (interestingly the same name as the Pi-based 3D printing webservice). Only missing features so far is more icons on the drawer in width and top-used. Then again insta-search also solves this.

post_break 8mo ago

When a company says that they're here to stay after an acquisition that usually means the opposite.

iqandjoke 8mo ago
Like Apple acquired Topsy. Cannot find good free Twitter / X search since then.

j1elo 8mo ago

> Open sourcing a product responsibly involves licensing, security, build tooling, contribution workflow, and trademark stewardship. You can scratch at the very least contribution workflow from that list; anyhow, the original author had already spent months preparing the open source release, ironing out legal and dependency issues, so everything should already be there or pretty close, at least on the technical side of things (arguably one of the biggest sides)

rdmuser 8mo ago

It was sold back in 2022 to Branch Metrics https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/branch-strikes-twice-with-nova-launcher-and-sesame-search-acquisition https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/branch-strikes-... August 2024 everyone working on it was laid off except the original dev https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/9/24217077/nova-launcher-layoffs-only-original-developer-remaining https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/9/24217077/nova-launcher-lay... September 2025 the original dev left after being told to stop work on open sourcing it https://www.theverge.com/news/773937/nova-launcher-founder-left-kevin-barry-branch-open-source-android https://www.theverge.com/news/773937/nova-launcher-founder-l...

philjackson 8mo ago
Thanks for taking the time to post these.
esafak 8mo ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_(company) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_(company)
- alias_neo 8mo ago
  Their former name "Branch Metrics", tells you all you need to know about them. > Branch also uses tools for cohort analysis and touchpoint tracking Just the kind of company I want in my phone.
raybb 8mo ago
Seems like there might be enough coverage that Nova Launcher is ready for a Wikipedia article now. Previously it was deleted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Launcher https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Launcher

thefz 8mo ago

> Are you going to add ads? > Nova needs a sustainable business model to support ongoing development and maintenance. We are exploring different options, including paid tiers and other approaches. As many of you have already anticipated, we are also evaluating ad based options for the free version. > 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. Seems pretty clear.

londons_explore 8mo ago

Nova launcher used to have loads of great features, but it seems now the best of those features have made it to the stock Google/Samsung launchers

naikrovek 8mo ago

the url "nova-is-here-to-stay" says to me that Nova will be discontinued in about 90 seconds.

gruez 8mo ago
"Nova Launcher's Incredible Journey"

branon 8mo ago

Haven't heard of Nova in a very long time, this was one of the original customizable launchers for Android wasn't it? If it's gone this long without being open-sourced, it might be time to let go. Been using https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/ for many years and have no complaints.

bisby 8mo ago
KISS is a complete paradigm shift from other phone launchers. It takes some getting used to. It has made me rethink how I use my phone from time to time because I have it set to sort by recently used: I only have a few apps I use regularly it seems. Not for everyone, but it's my preferred way to use a phone now.
- LelouBil 8mo ago
  Didn't know about KISS, I know Kvaesitso is also a search-focused launcher (that seems to have more features ? I didn't download KISS) https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/
- PlatoIsADisease 8mo ago
  I suppose it doesn't matter because there is probably a search or something, but I only use my banking app and children's games every month or 2. I like knowing where they are at. 2 swipes away. Also, doesn't this mean more attention to the screen? I can blindly pick apps without looking at my screen. Makes it useful when running + audiobook + taking notes.
  - bisby 8mo ago
    Yes. Search works for finding things once every few months. Or, I've found that they tend to not really be that far down the list, because I only use a few apps per month anyway, so "1 month ago" is actually pretty recent in that regard. But I also have specific apps pinned. Messaging, Browser, Camera all have fixed icons across the bottom of the screen, so I could blindly pick those as well as on any other launcher. And in some cases, it means more attention, but more intent - which I find good. I'm far less likely to randomly open an app just because I see it on the screen. "Oh I havent played this game in a few months" never pops up (unless I scroll the complete app list, which it still has). It's a trade off, for me, it means faster (but not no look - but tbh, I never have had that level of accuracy with any launcher) access to my most common used apps, and a slight decrease in rarely used apps. So I save half a second 10 times a day, and lose 5 seconds once a week. It's a tradeoff that I'm willing to make based on my particular usage patterns.

fullstop 8mo ago

I switched to Smart Launcher Pro, and it seems to scratch the same itch. It was more expensive, though. Nova carried me for almost a decade, and I'll miss it.

JohnFen 8mo ago
That's what I switched to as well after evaluating a half dozen or so other ones. I agree, it's fine. It's missing a couple of niceties that I enjoyed with Nova, but nothing I can't live without.
- fullstop 8mo ago
  They recently added a bottom dock option, and I was very happy to have that back.

mwkaufma 8mo ago

Immediate uninstall.

microflash 8mo ago

What an undeserving fate. A beloved app now being passed from vulture to vulture who rip off every possible morsel they can. When Branch bought Nova, I moved on to use Lawnchair [1], which is open source. Although it has been in beta like forever, with occasional glitches, it works well enough and has enough features to satisfy my customization cravings. [1]: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair

theturtletalks 8mo ago
It’s becoming evident that open-source is the only thing that can cure Enshittification. Every proprietary application will become enshittified, it’s just a matter of when.
- saubeidl 8mo ago
  rms was right all along.
  - LtWorf 8mo ago
    as always
- charcircuit 8mo ago
  Many open source projects fail to find sustainable funding. If a cure is not financially viable it is not much different than the cure not existing.
  - rpdillon 8mo ago
    So, you're not wrong. People that work for money will want money, and ultimately can be bought. People that work for love produce the best they can with limited resources, and are often broke. I don't think we've found a way to bridge the gap. I've come to generally rely on work people do for love, and I contribute to them, but it's clearly not sustainable unless they have another source of income. Anyone who solves this will produce immense value.

cicko 8mo ago

Time to say goodbye, I guess. It's been a while and things kept going south. Hello Lawnchair, my old friend.

astrolx 8mo ago

After many years of Nova, switched to Olauncher. I'm a happy person.

whalesalad 8mo ago

I take it the stock android launcher these days is not good?

fooqux 8mo ago
It's "fine". In fact, a lot of the features that Nova pioneered has made its way into the stock launcher. But it does what it does and that's all. It's been a long, long time since Google believed in the concept of options or customizability. If you want to do something outside the default, well you can go straight to hell. Which is fine, I guess, since we still have great options for launchers out there.
fullstop 8mo ago
It's fine, and it works. I have a Pixel, though, and there's no way to disable the google search box on the homescreen. I will never use the search box, yet it dominates a good portion of my screen.
- ilvez 8mo ago
  I think the only reason not to use stock.. I guess once of the main reasons people look elsewhere. And I don't actually need fancy features. Probably there are more annoyances, but I never get to those since the search just kills it quick.
- rpdillon 8mo ago
  Is there a way to disable "swipe right for news feed"? I hated that inclusion in the Pixel launcher.
  - blazerunner 8mo ago
    Yeah it can be turned off in stock launcher (at least I did on my Pixel 9 Pro XL).
- rurp 8mo ago
  I hate that search box, it's ridiculous that they force it on users. On the plus side looking up how to get rid of it led me to Lawnchair which I have been happily using for many years at this point.

mfkp 8mo ago

I recently switched to a OnePlus 15 and Nova Launcher had a really annoying 0.5-1 second delay every time you went back home. I've been a paid Nova user and used it on every android device for the past 10 years or so. I ended up migrating to the stock OnePlus launcher and it's actually surprisingly good, other than you have to disable the stupid google recommended page every time you reboot the phone, so I'm still open to alternatives.

tetris11 8mo ago
Trebuchet (a "launcher", heh) is the stock Lineage one, and it is genuinely fine. App screen, home screen, nested folders. Nothing more you really want. Unfortunately it's built/bundled with Lineage, and you can't find a standalone APK for it anywhere
dzaima 8mo ago
That's an OxygenOS 16.0 bug; worked fine on 15.0, and broken on all (~five?) launchers I tested on 16.0. (currently on Octopi Launcher, and just live with that annoying delay until it Hopefully™ gets fixed)
- eikaramba 8mo ago
  see my reply above for a fix
  - dzaima 8mo ago
    Damn, what a funky "fix". Thanks! (luckily I can take the simplified version since I already use button navigation)
eikaramba 8mo ago
let me make your day. this will fix the problem 100% -> https://old.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comments/1p3pcnt/guide_fix_custom_launcher_lag_gestures_on_oos_16/ https://old.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comments/1p3pcnt/guide_fix_... I couldn't believe it myself but by basically force closing the settings menu the drawer animation will be gone until you reboot :)

_DeadFred_ 8mo ago

I'm really behind on this stuff but what does this mean for Sesame. It's all just dead now, right?

aspbee555 8mo ago

I was having issues recently with my Pixel phone hanging/freezing/going stupid, it was Nova. I changed to Lawnchair yesterday after learning this and works much better and my battery is no longer draining for no apparent reason

algo_trader 8mo ago
> my battery is no longer draining for no apparent reason Oh man. I just replaced the battery on my 5 year phone - for the sole reason of not having to reconfigure Nova on a new phone :\
- mfkp 8mo ago
  You know you can export your Nova configuration and import it on a new phone, right?
  - warkdarrior 8mo ago
    I offer a Nova-configuration-transfer service for $49.95. Send me your old and new phones, a printed list of passwords, and a prepaid return envelope.
  - algo_trader 8mo ago
    The irony, Mrs Morissette, is that Nova caused the battery to appear to fail, and would drain the battery still on a new phone

mastermedo 8mo ago

What a throwback. Nova launcher sounded familiar, but I wasn't sure where to place it in my head. When I saw the logo I was immediately transported to memories of using lineage OS and bricking my new Samsung Note 4. I was trying to customize every button combination to do something smart back then. The good old days when I had the time to fix the phone after every update. I've since moved to the apple ecosystem... Set and forget.

baggachipz 8mo ago
> I've since moved to the apple ecosystem... Set and forget. Careful, you'll get blasted for that in these parts. Until about 7 years ago, I had been an Android absolutist. Custom ROMs, launchers, you name it. I sneered at those Apple-loving simpletons. Then, after missing several important phone calls in a day due to the phone 'app' not working properly, I got fed up and got a Nexus 6, the official Google phone and the reference implementation for Android. The phone was big and ugly, but at least I was still using a "real" operating system. Then, as I went through the app store looking for some needed apps, I realized that I couldn't find what I wanted. What I downloaded and installed turned out to be scams and hijacked the phone as ad-riddled malware. It slowly dawned on me: The Play Store is anarchistic, lawless hellscape. I was too old for this shit. I went and got an iPhone and never looked back. I turn it on, it does things. I don't have to worry about it. Yes, the software quality isn't near perfect, and they seem to be gradually enshittifying their app store. But at least they make a token effort to keep things in a somewhat curated state. It's night and day, far as I'm concerned. I've gotten to the point where I just want my things to work. I don't want to spend hours tweaking and troubleshooting. I realize I'm in a cult compound, but it's better than the Mad Max world outside.
- NamlchakKhandro 8mo ago
  your pants are so on fire
  - baggachipz 8mo ago
    no u

mbix77 8mo ago

On any Android phone I immediately install Niagara. Best launcher by far. Makes everything so efficient and beautiful.

NelsonMinar 8mo ago
Niagara is amazing. It's quite different from other launchers, so either it works for you or doesn't. It perfectly matches what I was doing before, which was searching for apps by name to launch them.
- rpdillon 8mo ago
  Doesn't KISS do this? I'm curious why Niagara when KISS is probably lighter/smaller.
  - sanex 8mo ago
    Haven't tried KISS, just looked at screenshots. Niagara tries to be slightly customizable and aesthetically pleasing. I've been using (and paying for) it for years. Its plenty lightweight to be snappy on even older model phones.
- LelouBil 8mo ago
  There's also the open source Kvaesitso ! [0] https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/

drnick1 8mo ago

Are launchers needed at all? I find the default GrapheneOS interface to be serviceable and I did not know what a "launcher" was until fairly recently.

scblock 8mo ago
It depends on what you're looking for. I have a Pixel 9a with Graphene on it and wanted to customize my icons which I don't think the stock launcher allows. Went with Lawnchair and set it up mostly the same as the stock Pixel launcher otherwise.

ilvez 8mo ago

I was thinking what else deteriorated from best to worst.. Poweramp.

hexagonwin 8mo ago
i still use it.. how has it gone bad?
- ilvez 8mo ago
  For me it started as simple way to play music on your phone. It had very direct intuitive navigation and control. Now if I look at it, it's complex over-designed and I remember struggling with doing simple things like navigation. Sorry for not being too specific, I haven't used it much over past years and haven't got it installed anymore. When I need to play stuff on my phone directly, I just use VLC. Probably the profile of user just changed and I'm not falling into one anymore.

tecleandor 8mo ago

"We are a Swedish company building products that help people get online, used by millions of people worldwide." So I look for them. They have a "Free wifi connection" / "Wifi passwords map" app. It surprises me because it has a good score on Google Play but then I begin to check the reviews, and a bunch of them go like: "Five stars because if you do a good review you can use it for free". I install it and on starting it and in the first minute: Asks you to create an account but you can't click on the terms of service or privacy policy, the links don't work. I skip it. It tries to change your default launcher. It tries to change your default browser. It asks you to share your home wifi password with them. Pops up adds everywhere. Tries to get a good review from you. No thanks, not even near.

ajkjk 8mo ago
giving anything to the user in return for a good review should be grounds for disqualification from app stores. (and it should be legally required for app stores to enforce it)
- nix0n 8mo ago
  Since they claim to be a Swedish company, it might be worth filing a report with the Swedish consumer agency[0]. I am not a lawyer, and especially not a Swedish lawyer, so I can't say how illegal this is in Sweden or what if anything will happen. [0]https://www.konsumentverket.se/en/articles/report-to-the-swedish-consumer-agency/ https://www.konsumentverket.se/en/articles/report-to-the-swe...
  - _DeadFred_ 8mo ago
    The Sweden that gave us Spotify and Candy Crush (the game that showed every tech company that they need to incorporate really really awful manipulation of users)? That country loves their evil software.
    - deleted 8mo ago
      [deleted]

deleted 8mo ago

[deleted]

vgivanovic 8mo ago

I've used Nova Launcher for years (don't know if I'm paid), but I'll be happy to pay for an ad free version. I know there is a long history of companies buying another company for a product and then killing it after a period of time. I'm willing to give Instabridge the benefit of doubt... for a while. If they do decide that Nova Launcher is not a fit, I hope they open source it so that current users are not left on the lurch.

throwa356262 8mo ago

It's 2026, why are people still using custom launchers? Serious question from a former Nova Prime user.

manfre 8mo ago
Why? To avoid using Google search. It's been an inferior search product for years. Last time I used the default launcher on a pixel, I couldn't change it to a better search product, so I changed launcher.
saxonww 8mo ago
I don't want a big search bar on my home screen, and there's no way around it with the Pixel Launcher except use a different launcher.
XiS 8mo ago
Honestly... I just wants a launcher with tabs to sort apps in categories (no not app groups). Nova Prime almost gone, before that Apex Launcher... And every other launcher seems to just love to just present a search bar to find your apps and use some magic sorting algorithm to sort your apps... I want predictable, user ordered apps in tabs so I can open one by heart with my eyes closed.
- bcraven 8mo ago
  I'm with you... and have yet to find the solution. Somehow only Nova does tabbed app drawer pages (and allows folders within them).
- elcapitan 8mo ago
  Same. I organize my phone into screens by topic (apps and some widgets), that allows me to keep a mental model without remembering app names etc. Will probably be hard to find a 1:1 replacement for Nova Launcher, if it enshittifies :/
- AndrewDucker 8mo ago
  I'm still using Apex. Shouldn't I be?

nixosbestos 8mo ago

It blows my mind how many stories hit the front page, every day, that bottom out on whining about proprietary software. I've literally been talking about the Win10/11 whining for 3+ years, and yet EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK THERE ARE MORE. Lawnchair is *EXCELLENT*. I say that as a former Nova Launcher user. And Lawnchair is fully OSS and actively developed. I just cannot fathom people who enjoy this non-stop BS rollercoaster and are happy to be passed from OG dev, to scummy publisher, to ??? publisher. And all just be happy about that instead of ... why am I even typing this shit. The people that care, care and use OSS or migrate when the writing is on the wall. The people that allow themselves to get jerked around and just take it are going to keep just taking it. And whining about it, while changing none of their behavior. (Totally not related; see HN and the constant cycle of people shitting on decentralization and then being pikachu-shocked when proprietary centralized services do what they always do). (Though, it's nice to finally, finally see a predominance of anecdotes of Linux experiences that aren't based on 3 year old distro ISOs. EDIT: 3 is generous, I saw people talking about a 20.04 LTS spin less than a year ago and acting like that was indicative of Linux on Desktop). To be fair, I'm probably just way off base here. A company whose focus is absolutely not an Android Launcher surely won't enshittify or sell it in due course. Surely. Surely, surely, surely. Right? Like last time?

warkdarrior 8mo ago
Lawnchair blacklists/used to blacklist apps they did not like. That does seem user friendly.
- elcapitan 8mo ago
  What kind of apps did they blacklist, and why?
  - brovonov 8mo ago
    It seems to be pirated icon packs. see the other comment in this same parent comment.
    - 8mo ago

fenwick67 8mo ago

Thanks for the lawnchair recommendations, y'all. It's been real, Nova Launcher. Sleep now my sweet prince.

pjjpo 8mo ago

Haven't used Nova for a while and at first was curious if this was good for bringing it back from unmaintenance. The heavy focus on sustainability and marketing in this blog makes it seem unlikely though. Switched to Pear when Nova got unstable after a Pixel upgrade and I noticed it hadn't been updated in years. Been working well though will keep any eye on any other recommendations that show up in this thread.

LoganDark 8mo ago

> What this means right now > Nova is not shutting down. Our immediate focus is simple: [...] So it will be shutting down or gutted into a privacy nightmare. That's all I needed to see.

realaaa 8mo ago

yeah nah.. Will Nova become open source? We know this matters to many of you. It is something we are actively evaluating. Open sourcing a product responsibly involves licensing, security, build tooling, contribution workflow, and trademark stewardship. We do not have a decision to share yet, but we will be transparent once we do.

julianz 8mo ago

I used Nova paid for years, but moved back to the stock Samsung launcher when Nova started having issues with widgets not refreshing (Outlook calendar view was the worst, it would work for a day or two and then just get stuck). I guess I should try something else now.

RandyOrion 8mo ago

Using Lawnchair for more than a year now. No major issues on my device with Android 13 and Lineage OS 22.2. Will not look at other alternatives for a long time.

jerrygoyal 8mo ago

I've been a nova user for the last 7 years or so.

greatgib 8mo ago

> "building products that help people get online" To me looks sounds like the motto of a company made to defraud people of their money. Otherwise, very sad the demise and enshittification of this Launcher that was really one of the very good one around the good old time of the nexus 5.

voidey 8mo ago

Nova Launcher Prime was good, but nkw I use Pie launcher which is OSS and minimal. Although it has very less features when compared.

NamlchakKhandro 8mo ago

Niagra Launcher is where it's at for stable out of your way intuitive.

BatteryMountain 8mo ago

I got fed up with Nova and all the others to the point that I've built my own launcher in two evenings. Its just a black screen (no wallpaper or widgets) with a list of alphabetical scrollable apps (almost like how Windows Phone / Lumia looked), no icons/colours. Just black with white text & accents. You can tag an app as a favourite and it will show at the top. Thats it. No internet connection, no real customizations. It works amazingly well and fast and looks awesome on OLED. Once you are used to it, everything else (incl iOS) looks like a circus. If you are an app developer, remember to add a black/oled theme to your apps. A good chunk of my apps have them and they fit so well with my launcher.

sjw987 8mo ago
I've never done Android app development. How simple or advanced are we talking to build something like this? This sounds like my exact setup with Octopi. Just I have 4 scrollable home screens with the 4 most used apps as large white icons.

batrat 8mo ago

I use Niagara Launcher because of the simplicity and quick access to every app. I highly recommend to everyone who wants a fast launcher and clean look.

globular-toast 8mo ago
Closed source. Fool me once...
martsa1 8mo ago
Niagara is exquisite.

LelouBil 8mo ago

Personally, I stopped using Nova launcher years ago. Now I use Kvaesitso, which is search-focused exactly how I used to configure Nova. https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/

gytdev 8mo ago

I am a paying Nova Prime user and I really love that I can press on an app to open it. OR swipe up on a app to open a directory where I put similar apps

gytdev 8mo ago

Hope the dev will opensource it and do smth like what Maps.me did wirh Organic maps

paprikanotfound 8mo ago

A few years I started working on a launcher, built from scratch with jetpack compose. It has all the basic functionality, and some very nice details like multi touch support, similar to iOS. Though I never released it since I got burnt out and I stopped using Android. This is making me want to go back to it and finish it.

sjw987 8mo ago

Sad news. I've been using Nova for years now, across multiple devices. Thankfully my build is super minimalistic and another launcher was able to replicate it pretty quickly. Black wallpaper, white icon pack, list app drawer with a few folders, 4 scrollable home screens with large white icons for the most frequent apps (browser, Gemini, personal lifestyle logging app, Signal conversation with wife). The idea that there might be ads (albeit on the free tier) is ridiculous, but then again that is the final frontier for adtech companies. I've often thought the Google stock launcher will likely soon have ads, just like Microsoft started trying to slip them in with Windows 10.

bodge5000 8mo ago

I tried a few alternatives last night but ended up going with Lawnchair. I miss some of the deeper customisation of Nova, but its otherwise nice and stable and, most importantly, not spyware. I'm not sure if this would actually affect me in the short term as a Nova Prime user (unsure if the extra trackers were added there too), but in the long term it certainly would

llmthrow0827 8mo ago

Can someone explain why launchers matter so much to them? All the apps I use are on a single page and it's just one button press; what more would I need than that?

bux93 8mo ago
OEM launchers often include annoying anti-features, like a screen you can't remove and that has the brand's voice assistant. They also tend to be slow, bad at search, and have all kinds of unnecessary phone-home functionality like sharing your location with their owners (austensibly to show the weather forecast). Besides, I have a work phone and a private phone - different brands, same launcher.
ChoGGi 8mo ago
I have lawnchair now (from Nova), I use it to remove the search bar, add more buttons to the dock, and a custom icon pack (though I think that'll work on stock launcher). I assume I switched to using it since Google changed something I found annoying?

andrewaylett 8mo ago

Shout out for Smart Launcher, which I'm very much enjoying: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ginlemon.flowerfree https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ginlemon.flowe...

alexp2021 8mo ago

I see Nova has been very popular. Why did the original developer sell it? There must be some business model for these sorts of popular apps that don't involve selling it? Crowdfunding?

mancerayder 8mo ago

I use Nova for to remove the Google search bar on the Pixel desktop. And as a secondary benefit, Nova remembers app locations when I change phones. What should I do that's hassle-free? Is there an open source equivalent that's likely to stay alive in a year or three?

baby_souffle 8mo ago
Smart launcher is a pretty good replacement. It isn't a one to one but they have been pretty responsive to users asking for certain missing features. Pricing is pretty reasonable and the team is responsive.

vladstudio 8mo ago

Uninstalled. Thanks HN

etyhhgfff 8mo ago

TLDR; Nova will add ads, will not go open source and might shutdown.