Nova Launcher's future unclear as layoffs slash core development team

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summary

  • While Nova Launcher offers unique features, recent layoffs at Branch may hinder future development and support for the app.
  • Nova's core team, including Cliff Wade, was fired by Branch, leaving founder Kevin Barry as the sole full-time developer.
  • Despite the uncertainty surrounding Nova's future following these changes, one ray of hope the customization community is hanging on to is that founder Kevin Barry has remained with Branch.



While Google's Pixel Launcher is often considered a pretty conventional Android launcher, the developers of Nova Launcher have been updating and maintaining the enthusiast favorite. And for good reason: Nova offers several features and integrations that most stock launchers don't, and a one-time upgrade to Prime gives you access to even more. Nova is one of our favorite Android launchers and one of the first apps we install on new phones. However, this status quo may not last for long, as several core developers and the face of the company, Cliff Wade, have been fired by Branch.

Google Pixel 8 Pro in hand, showing Niagara Launcher settings screen with notification summary, with keyboard and iPhone 13 visible in the background

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Android has not been kind to third-party launchers lately, withdrawing support for native gesture navigation and other features that hinder the user experience. In these challenging times, analytics firm Branch Metrics acquired Nova Launcher in 2022, giving founder Kevin Barry and other core staff positions on the team and full control over the project. At the time, speculation about the app's future was skeptical of Branch's intentions and plans for the launcher, but nothing dramatic was expected to happen. That changed when Cliff Wade, Nova's Director of Customer Relations, posted a heartbreaking announcement on Nova Launcher's Discord server (via @MishaalRahman on X).

Wade revealed that Branch has laid off over 100 employees across the company, including himself, Rob, and several members of the core Nova Launcher team. The layoffs mark an abrupt end to Wade's eight-and-a-half-year journey with Nova, but in a heartfelt post, he thanked Nova founder Kevin Barry for the job, the folks at Branch, and the vast user base Nova has built over the years.


Wade acknowledged the important role that members of the Discord community have played in shaping Nova's growth, but added that the future of the server should become clearer in the coming days.


What's next for Nova?

Wade didn't say what Branch plans to do with the Nova Launcher app and its user base with the development team gone, but Rob later tried to clear up the doubt with an explanation: He said development on the app would continue, but at a slower pace, with founder Kevin Barry remaining as the app's only full-time developer. However, customer support, PR, and other functions related to the app have been discontinued.


To me, this sounds like a boilerplate statement from Rob to calm Nova users' panic, and very similar to Branch's plans to shut down the app altogether. Nearly three hours after Wade's announcement, Barry commented on Discord, saying he still works at Branch but that the layoffs were “very disappointing” and that he was “left with reduced resources.” However, Branch said it was still reeling from the sudden move and was still unsure about the app's future. In the short term, the focus remains on completing Nova version 8.1, but “it's reduced in scope compared to what was planned.”

I still remember that right after the acquisition, Barry's memo said “Branch is different” and that he would continue to have control over Nova's direction and decisions. But things can change a lot in two years, and Branch might want to direct Barry's attention to something else in the pipeline. Although I'm afraid of losing the app gem, I'm not losing hope, as the analytics company has been focusing on many launcher features since the acquisition, and Barry has been hard at work on this project since day one.


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