Damien Wilde / Android Authority
TL;DR Nova Launcher, one of Android’s best customization tools, is shutting down for good.
Founder Kevin Barry made the announcement over the weekend, confirming that he’s leaving the company that owns Nova and that the launcher won’t be released as an open-source project.
Android fans are heartbroken about Nova’s shutdown, calling it a “legendary” app that contributed to the success of Android as a platform.
A beloved Android customization tool is coming to an end. Nova Launcher, long known for being one of the best third-party launchers you can get for your Android phones, is officially shutting down, and users who have relied on it for over a decade are mourning the loss.
Nova’s founder and original developer, Kevin Barry, made the announcement over the weekend. On September 6, Barry posted a message confirming that he had left Branch, the analytics firm that acquired Nova Launcher in 2022, and would no longer be involved with the project.
What will you do now that Nova Launcher is shutting down? 973 votes Stick with Nova until it stops working 43 % Switch to another third-party launcher 11 % Just use the stock launcher on my phone 25 % Not sure yet. 10 % I've never used Nova Launcher 11 %
“I’ve been the only one working on Nova for the past year,” Barry wrote in his farewell message titled “So Long. ”
“I needed to let you know that I have left Branch and am no longer involved with Nova Launcher,” he said.
Barry went on to explain that he had been preparing to release Nova as open source, cleaning up the codebase and coordinating with legal teams. Branch’s leadership had publicly promised that if he ever left, the code would be handed to the community. However, Barry said he was ultimately asked to stop work on the open-source effort.
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