Back in July 2022, when mobile app metrics firm Branch acquired the popular and well-regarded Nova Launcher for Android, the app’s site put up one of those self-directed FAQ posts about it. Under the question heading “What does Branch want with Nova?,” Nova founder and creator Kevin Barry started his response with, “Not to mess it up, don’t worry!”
Branch (formerly/sometimes Branch Metrics) is a firm concerned with helping businesses track the links that lead into their apps, whether from SMS, email, marketing, or inside other apps. Nova, with its Sesame Search tool that helped users find and access deeper links—like heading straight to calling a car, rather than just opening a rideshare app—seemed like a reasonable fit.
Barry wrote that he had received a number of acquisition offers over the years, but he didn’t want to be swallowed by a giant corporation, an OEM, or a volatile startup. “Branch is different,” he wrote then, because they wanted to add staff to Nova, keep it available to the public, and mostly leave it alone.
Two years later, Branch has left Nova Launcher a bit too alone. As documented on Nova’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, and transcripts from its Discord, as of Thursday Nova had “gone from a team of around a dozen people” to just Barry, the founder, working alone. The Nova cuts were part of “a massive layoff” of purportedly more than 100 people across all of Branch, according to now-former Nova workers.
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Okay, I’m seeing a lot of “alternatives” posted. But to all of you recommending minimal launchers: They are NOT an alternative for Nova.
I’ve used Nova for near on 10 years now, always trying other launchers for a while. In those 10 years I realized that I want a fully fledged “traditional” launcher, not a list-based one where I have to search for my apps.
Thank you. I’ve been thinking the same thing. People keep posting things that aren’t remotely close to Nova. I’m beginning to think there’s just nothing else at their level. Lawnchair seems like the closest so far but it’s still not customizable enough and the Google feed implementation randomly broke and I couldn’t get it to work again (amongst other annoyances and performance issues).
Used to be my favorite launcher and I, too, abandoned it. Sad, really.
I still use it. Where did you move to?
Bought Nova just to nearly kill it. Fuck you Branch
Already posted here in Lemmy. State of Nova Launcher (August 9, 2024)
I’m Kevin Barry, the original creator and primary developer of Nova Launcher. (…) This week Branch parted ways with some employees, including people involved with Nova. (…) However, I’ve always been the lead and primary contributor to Nova Launcher and that hasn’t changed. I will continue to control the direction and development of Nova Launcher.
I still use it, removed auto-update from the store. Hopefully it doesn’t just poof.
How do you turn off auto-update for a single app?
It’s still my launcher of choice and I’m going to ride it until the wheels fall off.
Yeah same. Since nothing comes even halfway close, might as well use it.
Plus, the thing is AFAIAC feature complete. So as long as Barry can keep working on bugs cropping up with new versions, I’m happy with what I got.
If I was able to choose icons for some apps myself after applying a theme, I would immediately switch to Lawn Chair. But for now it’s still Nova Launcher without internet access for me…
Lawnchair is open source and basically identical in my experience, though i think i’m using some new version of it that’s technically not stable or something?
you can’t change the main home screen. there are threads going back 6 years asking for that feature and they’ve just been ignored so I think I’ll avoid it
change how?
if you have multiple home screens, you can’t change which one is the default one. you can’t add empty home screens, either.
Lawnchair is what I switched to after Nova Launcher was purchased. Honestly, I have few complaints, it’s been plenty good enough for me.
I switched and didn’t notice much difference
It’s a shame. Years ago, I adored their luncher, before I found Niagara and found how amazing it was. It will be sad to see it go, but these things happen. The luncher market is so full, you need to be special to stand out.
I felt like Nova’s not being special was what made it special. It was the closest to stock android while having a bunch of little tweaks here and there that allowed for more custom setups.
GOAT launcher. Hopefully it doesn’t meet its demise. The features should be implemented into stock android experience…
Link please?
What link are you referring to?
GOAT launcher, obviously
Oh, i was just referring to Nova as the Great Of All Time (GOAT) 👍
