I’m very thankful to Kevin for this amazing launcher that I’m still using to this day.
Also a bit disapointed he trusted Branch and gave them the opportunity to ruin it.
It’s always capitalism
For those coming looking for alternatives, this mega comparison chart is what I used to select an alternative launcher when I switched.
I would strongly recommend checking this site for the trackers in an app if you’re at all concerned about privacy. Links to each app’s exodus privacy report is also at the end of the table linked above.
I hate being hinted and asked to click on the link, so I save you a click:
It’s the end of an era: the founder and original developer of Nova Launcher — Kevin Barry — has stepped away from the development of the iconic custom launcher. This essentially marks the end of the road for the launcher, as it is unlikely to receive updates or new features. For years now, Nova Launcher has been the go-to launcher for power Android users, standing out for its plethora of customization options and features.
Now that Nova is in literal limbo, if not allegedly in the hands of some data miner, there should be talk about substitutes.
- This app may share these data types with third parties
- This app may collect these data types
That talk about substitutes happened when it was initially handed over to said data miner, and anybody concerned should have switched back then. I did, moving to Lawnchair, and never looked back. Oodles of other options are doubtlessly available.
I would be so happy if Kevin got accidentally ‘hacked’ and the source leaked, by now im so ingrained in nova that it just feels wrong switching.
I don’t even know how to use Android without Nova…
Why does nothing good ever last?
I switched to Niagara a few years back because Nova didn’t have good support for foldables and tbh I haven’t looked back. It’s very different but once you get used to it it’s much faster than a traditional launcher.
Yep, have been using and currently using Nova for the last 8 years I think. Suuucks to see it go as I couldn’t find a viable search based launcher like Nova when it was sold.
I like Olauncher a lot but I can’t do like a feature comparison with Nova, I never used it. Hope you find something good to replace it with though!
KISS has been the only reasonable launcher ever since Android ruined it’s overview system.
In a Reddit AMA, the then-Branch CEO Alex Austin also revealed that if Kevin ever left Branch, they would open-source Nova Launcher’s code and release it to the community.
We still have hope if they keep their promise!
Big unlucky.
Are you being sarcastic?
No, that wasnt intended.
It’s sad to see it go, for people that want to try a minimalist launcher, ap15 is great.
I might be misremembering but wasn’t it bought out by one of those data harvesting companies a while ago?
Yes
Fuck, I’ve been using this since I got an android phone in 2008. RIP.
Niagara launcher has been my go to for years now
I find the ckncept interesting, but I often don’t remember the name of an app. I need to see its icon.
It shows native icons by default
If it’s not on the primary list, however, they get sorted alphabetically when scrolling through.
By default, sure, but they still show an icon so i dont know why that would matter here
Does anyone have recommendations to replace Nova?
Action launcher is a good replacement that I don’t see recommended. Still updated, stuffed with features. The main one I miss on other launchers is “covers” which let you promote one app as the default for a folder, you can swipe it instead of tapping to open the folder or tap to open the default. I only really use about 10 or so apps super regularly, so it’s great as I just have a single home screen that I rarely need to leave
I love my Niagara Launcher ! it’s a different concept than most launchers, and looks pretty spartan on first glance, but it’s sleek, efficient and can look absolutely fabulous. The Pro stuff is a bit pricey, but it has a good privacy policy, autodelete data older than a year, and are GDPR compliant.
I switched from Nova to Smart Launcher and haven’t looked back.
I’ve been using smart launcher for years it’s automatic categorization is amazing. Though, wanting change, I recently started using Niagara, and like the minimalist approach too.
I switched to Niagara after Nova added the shitload of trackers, and i love it. At first i thought: what, i should only place 7 elements on my homescreen? But it really works and it didn’t even take a day of active use that i knew i had to get the Pro version. Was the first time i ever put down money on a launcher, but i’ve been using it for years now and hope i will never need to replace it, because there’s nothing that comes close.
Edit: damn, i read like a goddamn adbot. No, i am really human and like it lol.
Bot Disproval: Xi Pooh Bear Tienanmen Square Gaza Uyghur GenocideI put more. But the ones I use less are on the bottom. So it’s there for quick use, but I don’t have it there all the time.
There’s no direct replacement. The features I use are in Pear launcher so I use that. You have to look through launcher comparisons to find the features you need.
Also, I’m surprised purple are still using Nova. I thought most people abandoned it after it got sold.
I’m using it without updates
because it is much more stable, plenty of customisation and ofc one time payment.
I installed it on my HTC one and have used the exact same wallpaper and layout ever since. Change is scary and let’s be real.
Who the ACTUAL fuck pays attention to the launcher they are using. They find one they like and then unless something breaks they forget they are even using one.
It has been owned by a data mining company for a number of years.
It’s very much not a classic launcher and takes some getting used to, but Kvaesitso is nice.
I’m using Kvaesitso as well. But just looked at the permissions and I am shocked. Don’t know when the permissions changed, but I’m switching right now.
Pretty sure that just has to do with how widgets are integrated
I have used and enjoyed lawnchair for the past year. It’s quite minimal and I’ve found it very stable.
Have been using Neo Launcher since it had the features I needed from Nova (mostly hiding most apps from the app list while having them on the home screen in some folder so that it isn’t a mess when you want to find something specific). It hasn’t been updated in a while, but it works perfectly fine for me.
Octopi Launcher seems quite promising.
if you are asking about combinations of customisations, flexibility and stability. none atm.
Trebuchet seems good…?
gahdam…end of an era. This sucks.
This isn’t a very popular opinion, but I just use the stock Huawei one. Works perfectly for me
Depends on the phone. I hated the one on my oneplus 3 so i needed nova but the one on my current phone has the basic customisation options i was using nova for.
