A developer who worked on Nova Launcher has confirmed layoffs. The company that acquired Nova Launcher has laid off almost the entire team that has worked on the popular launcher since its inception.
Layoffs in Nova Launcher division confirmed
The Android operating system ecosystem allows third-party launchers and Nova Launcher remains one of the most downloaded. However, most of the development team maintaining Nova Launcher was laid off rather abruptly.
It is important to note that the Nova Launcher team was not particularly affected. The company that acquired the launcher laid off more than 100 employees. It seems that the Nova Launcher team was the most affected.
Branch, the company that acquired Nova Launcher two years ago, has laid off many of the launcher’s employees
by u/MishaalRahman in Android
Analytics firm Branch Metrics acquired Nova Launcher in 2022. The company provided app founder Kevin Barry and other key employees with spots on its team. In addition, Barry and his team had complete autonomy.
However, Cliff Wade, director of customer relations at Nova, posted an announcement on Reddit confirming the layoffs. Wade and several others were part of the downsizing.
Wade’s statement is particularly surprising because Barry reportedly claimed that “Branch was different” when the company acquired Nova Launcher and retained its entire development team.
Is there a future for third-party launchers?
Nova Launcher has been one of the most popular third-party launchers for Android devices. It works perfectly on almost all Android devices. Users have installed the launcher on Smart TVs, Android TV boxes, tablets, and smartphones.
Nova Launcher is currently available in version 8. Wade has indicated that the team is still committed to releasing Nova Launcher 8.1, but due to the layoffs, the future of the app may be uncertain.
Cliff was fired from the Nova Launcher team by Branch
byu/ciprofloxamycin inNovaLauncher
It’s important to note that third-party launchers once offered what Google’s default Android launcher lacked. However, Google and several device manufacturers have continuously added functionality and features to the native launcher.
The constant evolution of the default launcher has significantly reduced the need for Nova Launcher or other similar apps. In addition, Google has consistently denied access to certain core Android features such as gesture navigation. This has significantly affected the user experience when using third-party launchers.
With Branch Metrics laying off several members of the development team, the future of Nova Launcher seems uncertain. However, Barry has indicated that he is still employed, suggesting that Nova Launcher could survive.
