The tech world is buzzing, and sadly, it’s not with news of a flashy new gadget. Nova Launcher, a true favorite for Android users who love to tweak their phones, has officially stopped development. This feels like the end of an era for personalizing Android home screens.
For many years, Nova Launcher stood out as one of the best ways to make an Android phone feel uniquely yours. Its deep customization options earned it a loyal following. So, it’s no surprise that users are heartbroken by this news.
The person behind all this magic was Kevin Barry. He was Nova’s original creator and, for a long time, its only developer. Barry broke the news himself just last weekend. On September 6th, he posted an update confirming his departure from Branch. Branch is an analytics company that acquired Nova Launcher back in 2022. Barry stated he would no longer be involved with the project.
“I need to share that I’ve left Branch after being the only developer for a while. I am no longer involved with the Nova Launcher project.”
Barry had plans to release Nova Launcher as open-source code. This would allow the community to help keep it running. He even worked with Branch’s legal team on the details, as Branch had publicly promised this would happen if he left. However, Barry later said he was asked to stop working on the open-source project.
Branch bought Nova Launcher in 2022. This deal was supposed to give Nova helpful user data tools for new features. But by 2024, Branch had laid off more than a hundred developers. This left Barry as the only one working on Nova Launcher. The app’s last stable update came out in May 2024. Without Barry, Nova Launcher’s future looks very uncertain.
Nova fans are really feeling the loss. Reddit is full of posts from users sharing their appreciation and sadness. Many call Nova a “legend” for the way it shaped their Android experience.
“This is really sad. Nova still works great on my devices. I don’t need to switch right away. But I guess it’s time to start looking for other options.”
“Nova has been on my phone every single day since my first smartphone. Even on the new S25 I bought last month. It was totally worth buying.”
Barry even chimed in on some of the comments himself. He shared,
“Reddit comments are always hard for me, and today has been a rough one. I meant to get offline after the announcement but couldn’t help myself. I truly appreciate comments like these.”
For now, Nova Launcher still works and you can download it. But without ongoing updates or becoming open-source, it probably won’t keep up with new Android versions down the road. It seems the curtain has fallen on a true Android customization icon.