Nova Launcher is ending development

Kevin Barry, the founder and developer of one of the most popular Android launchers, Nova Launcher, has announced his departure from the project. This means that the future of the application, which has been downloaded by over 50 million users, is in question.

In a blog titled “So Long” Barry announced that he is no longer associated with Branch and is no longer involved in the development of Nova. He emphasized that he has been working on the project independently for the past year and is now officially leaving it.

Nova Launcher has allowed Android users to change the look and functionality of their devices since 2012. Despite the fact that the launcher will not stop working in the near future, problems may arise with the release of new versions of Android. This may be a signal for users to think about alternatives.

In 2022, Nova Launcher was bought by Branch, which promised to keep control of development in the hands of Barry and his team. However, in August 2024, Branch laid off most of its developers, leaving only two employees. Barry had been working on open-sourceing the launcher for some time, but the company asked him to stop working on it.

Branch had previously promised to open-source the code if Barry left, but those plans never materialized. Now, the app’s future development is in doubt.

Kevin Barry’s departure from Nova Launcher could spell the end of an era of Android customization that has lasted more than a decade. While the app is still up and running, its future looks uncertain, and users should start looking at alternatives now.