Nova Launcher has been acquired by analytics company Branch
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Hopefully, this isn’t the end of an era for Android launchers

Since a few folks seem unaware of this, I’m posting anew for visibility.

@[email protected]
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481Y

Lawn chair is the main FOSS alternative.

Be aware that there is a play store version that is not updated (version 2) and a beta that is actively maintained (version14.2 now)

They are quite different.

@[email protected]
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21Y

Thanks for the tip man 👍

@[email protected]
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51Y

Where is the beta and why isn’t it the main version?

@[email protected]
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3
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1Y

The man dev quit the project and others are picking up the pieces. They might not have access to the Play Store account, or maybe they do. Either way, the new team has not produced a new final version yet. Just a string of alphas and betas. As of now the beta is the main version. It’s good enough for daily use.

https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/releases

@[email protected]
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01Y

The beta was the first release in a few years.

The released the nightly build a few hour ago: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/releases/tag/nightly

I guess we can expect the final version in the coming days/weeks

@[email protected]
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41Y

This literally doesn’t answer the question at all. It’s just a snarky remark from someone who seems to think everyone else should be as privy to how all this works as they are.

@[email protected]
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-21Y

Why is anything in the world the way it is?

Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear… Yeah.

@[email protected]
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11Y

Looking forward the end of the beta!

@[email protected]
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21Y

Could you please link to the right place, then?

I looked at Droidify and only found an old unmaintained version.

@[email protected]
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-21Y

You need to work on how you ask for things… This isn’t my product and I don’t work for you.

I don’t know if this is news to you, but the “then” on the end of your statement has some sharp edges on it and represents you as entitled (making you aware if that wasn’t your intention)

A little more grace goes a long way when you’re asking strangers for help on the internet, friend.

@[email protected]
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51Y

Asuka
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21Y

@[email protected]
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21Y

Fwiw, I agree with you, but written text does need some benefit of the doubt regarding inflection and intention, sometimes.

NutWrench
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141Y

I switched from Nova Launcher to Lawnchair (GitHub) over a year ago. I think it’s great. https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair

@[email protected]
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81Y

Latest release says it’s from 2018 though…

@[email protected]
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10
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1Y

there are recent git commits, they appear to be working on the beta

https://lawnchair.app/blog/lawnchair-14/

article is dated this month

aerxi
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21Y

Latest beta release was on April 3. Source from telegram.

@[email protected]
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41Y

Is there any launcher that works well with Pixel’s transition animations when using gesture mode? I haven’t tried for a few years because there would be weird animation glitches from things like switching apps or going back to the home screen.

Avid Amoeba
creator
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41Y

Lawnchair seems alright.

@[email protected]
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-11Y

I use Nova integrated with Sesame. Unless I can find apps that can have the functions offered by these two apps, I’ve got no choice but to stay.

@[email protected]
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141Y

Thanks for the info, as a long-time Nova Launcher user, I was not aware. Good thing I didn’t give it any internet access.

@[email protected]
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151Y

Thank you. I was not aware of it. Uninstalling now

@[email protected]
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01Y

Well shit, time to find an alternative

@[email protected]
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121Y

There are a lot of comments here about which launchers are “close enough” to the Nova feature set, but very few people are talking about specific features and the alternatives that support them. I really just use two, and everything else is a cherry on top that I can do without if push comes to shove.

  1. Icons that open a folder if you swipe them, but launch the first app in the folder if you tap them. That way my apps all pull double-duty as both the one-tap app AND the list of alternatives I use less often.
  2. Google Now integration that swipes in from the left.

Action Launcher used to be my go-to, and it’s still the best implementation of #1 because of the little indicators it adds to let you know if something is a “cover” (folder when you swipe) or “shutter” (widget when you swipe). Sadly it’s gotten rather bloated over the years and spends more time force-closing from one glitch or another than it does actually running properly. Nova was my backup because it added “covers” a few years ago and I remembered enjoying the app about a decade ago. Now what?

@[email protected]
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11Y

Icons that open a folder if you swipe them, but launch the first app in the folder if you tap them. That way my apps all pull double-duty as both the one-tap app AND the list of alternatives I use less often.

I love that feature.

I can have so many apps on my home screen but at the same time only have a few.

@[email protected]
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161Y

Switched to Niagara launcher (Pro version) about a year ago and now I cannot imagine using a phone with an traditional app drawer.

2501
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61Y

If you use more than one widget it’s a terrible choice. I know they have stackable widgets, but it looks awful swiping with differing size widgets.

@[email protected]
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21Y

Put them in different folders?

@[email protected]
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41Y

Also using it since almost a year back i think now. But not pro. I can’t find a reason to pay that much for functionality I don’t really need even if I would pay to support the dev.

@[email protected]
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21Y

IMO the theming feature in Pro is worth it. Having all icons in the same style makes the app list way less distracting. And supporting the dev is a nice bonus too.

@[email protected]
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21Y

I am a person that really don’t care about icons. I wanted 2 widgets but since I switched I have learnt to live with just one of the two. I promise, if the price was halved i wouldn’t have blinked but as it is now as a subscription every year. Yeah, no I don’t use my phone that much.

@[email protected]
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11Y

Here’s an alternative that’s about 50% less expensive and not a subscription. Personally use it on KISS launcher and it’s basically perfect for my uses

@[email protected]
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161Y

On the Google Play page data safety section, they seem to share and collect about as much data as Nova.

AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet
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31Y

I figured as much considering their heavy ad spend on the play store. They pop up as the number one result as an ad for every launcher search I make.

@[email protected]
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21Y

I found an alternative called Olauncher.minimal af launcher. Play store says it collects and shares nothing, though I don’t know how easy it is to fool. It seems ok so far, though I’m not sure I really want a minimalist launcher.

@[email protected]
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11Y

Came here to mention Niagara. Been using it almost 5 years now and it’s perfect. Early on had some stuff that I missed, like folders or browser shortcuts, but the overall UI made up for it. But now? Flawless. Peerless. Just fucking, delightful.

I don’t even think about it until I see someone else use their launcher, and feel the need to give them a short Niagara demo.

@[email protected]
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31Y

I don’t understand why no phone company has considered making at least something similar as default. A vertical list of apps is way more intuitive than a mess of dozens of apps with too many colors. Now if switch to a new phone, I even have to check if it supports gestures for third-party launchers. Another a-hole feature of some brands (specifically Xiaomi). Using Niagara with the bottom navigation buttons makes no sense.

arefx
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31Y

I gotta check this out when I get some time.

@[email protected]
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181Y

When that first happened I switched to KISS Launcher. Fully search based. really simple and really fast.

@[email protected]
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31Y

I always assumed the stock launcher was always running under custom launchers. Is this the case?

@[email protected]
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11Y

Hi, I’ve installed KISS after reading this comment and there’s one thing I don’t understand. Is one supposed to manually select their ‘Favourites’ or are they populated by KISS with use? I couldn’t find an answer to this anywhere else.

@[email protected]
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2
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1Y

You pick them yourself. Search for an app, long press and then add to favorites

@[email protected]
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11Y

Thanks :)

@[email protected]
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31Y

Had an old, barely living phone. Tried very hard to die on sole fact it had to display icons. KISS actually made it usable once again. ^^

@[email protected]
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1Y

deleted by creator

@[email protected]
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191Y

It is a closes source program owned by an analytics company. I don’t know if there’s a good way to conclusively tell, but why else would they have bought it?

FuckSpez
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11Y

Would it be safe if I stayed on some older version of the app?

@[email protected]
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31Y

Just use the latest and disable internet permission

@[email protected]
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201Y

Lol fuck me why even try anymore

Chemical Wonka
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3
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1Y

Lanwchair is a great replacement but I am facing many problems with its widgets and don’t forget the default launcher is always the best option if you consider less surface attack

@[email protected]
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211Y

Fuck. Using nova kept me sane. Even though they say, nothing changes…it will. With an analytics company, if they spend that much on nova, they are either going to go behind a paywall, or start data mining the shit from every user.

Remember, if the product is free, then you’re the product

e_mc2
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121Y

Yeah, but I paid for Nova Prime back then.

youmaynotknow
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31Y

Now they have your money AND will track you.

@[email protected]
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71Y

If a product is not free but is a digital service with a paid subscription you are also the product. They ain’t gonna stop data mining you b/c you give them 10 bucks a month.

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