Nova Launcher is probably finished

The founder and original developer of Nova Launcher, Kevin Barry, has retired from developing the popular Android launcher. This essentially means the end for the launcher: it is unlikely that the app will receive any more updates or new functions.

The Nova Launcher was acquired by the company Branch.io in 2022, which laid off all employees of the popular Android launcher except for Barry in 2024. Barry, who had been working on an open-source version of the launcher until the end, has now also left.

Work discontinued

As Barry writes in a blog post, he had been working on developing an open-source version of the Nova Launcher in recent months. “This work included cleaning up the code base, reviewing licenses, removing or replacing proprietary code, and coordinating with the legal department to ensure proper release,” Barry writes. When Branch acquired Nova in 2022, then CEO and founder of Branch, Alex Austin, made several public commitments to the community about the future of Nova, including statements about open source.

The open-source version will probably no longer be completed. According to Barry, he has been asked to stop working on Nova Launcher and the open-source efforts.

Nova Launcher is still available in the Play Store and can still be installed. However, users can assume that there will be no bug fixes, adjustments, or new functions. It is also unclear how long Branch will continue to offer the alternative launcher.

The Nova Launcher is considered one of the most popular alternative Android launchers for experienced Android users on the market and is characterized by its wide range of customization options and functions. Especially in the 2010s, alternative Android launchers were extremely popular, as functions were sometimes missing from smartphone manufacturers' own launchers. A lot has happened since then. Manufacturers have integrated features that were previously only available on alternative launchers or custom ROMs into their software add-ons.

(afl)