PSA: Nova Launcher is owned by an analytics company

www.androidpolice.com /nova-launcher-acquired-by-branch/

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

Privacy Guides @lemmy.one

PSA: Nova Launcher has been owned by analytics company Branch since 2022

www.androidpolice.com /nova-launcher-acquired-by-branch/

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Anyone here not using an open source launcher after this announcement is seriously learning nothing from this. You are just trusting the next company that either already or eventually will go the same way. Like the dude mentioning Microsoft launcher as alternative, that one has branch analytics baked in as well as far as I remember.
- Be aware that using open source doesn't protect you completely from this, look at what happened to Simple Mobile tools, best install your open source applications from f-droid.
  Do you have any good open source alternatives for Nova Launcher?
  
  Of course, but when something like that happens to a popular app there will be an outcry. If you are not a tech person you might miss that, but I'd argue if you care about what launcher your phone has and you care about this issue to go foss you are probably the type of person who'd hear about it.
  I use KISS launcher but there are many other options mentioned here that are also good. Yes, nothing is exactly like Nova. But lots of other stuff is good too.
  
  Yes, nothing is exactly like Nova. But lots of other stuff is good too.
  Then they aren't good alternatives, they're passable.
  Seems crazy to me that the software that's owned by an analytics company is also the one focused on giving the user the most customization options. None of the FOSS alternatives have the same mentality as Nova. They're all focused more on minimalism, or evoking Pixel, or pushing a specific niche type of interface of their own design. None of them provide anywhere near as many tools to the user.
  If I have to use a closed source app provided by an analytics company just to get a launcher that actually empowers the user, so be it. Maybe more of the FOSS alternatives could start taking note of why Nova is the most popular.
  
  What happened to simple tools? And I downloaded them from F-Droid
  
  They got sold (sorry for reddit link) https://www.reddit.com/r/SimpleMobileTools/comments/187w64x/simple_mobile_tools_bought_by_zipoapps/
  Use the fossify forks now (also on f-droid)
  https://github.com/FossifyOrg
- I backed up the APK of the last "clean" version before the sale. I'm going to keep using it until some OS update breaks it.
  
  You don't have to do it! :)
  One of the original maintainers of Simple Mobile Tools forked the project and he's adding new features and fixing bugs.
  The project is called Fossify and you can already download the apps from both Play store and F-Droid
  
  I think they're talking about Nova.
  
  Ooops, sorry, my bad!
  
  @Scrollone @slimarev92 The "Launcher" repository/project/portion/etc has no releases and no packages on its page, so how do i actually download it and try it?
  i don't see any kind of .apk or instructions on where one is.
  
  Same. I am surprised I've been able to use it for so long without any issues.
- Please dont tell me I have to leave Niagara. :(
  
  Depends how important some features are for you, e.g. read here https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/20-sesame-integration
  Right now its probably OK, but Nova was also OK for a while. If a FOSS launcher does this and is popular, it will be forked. Niagara won't be forked.

326 comments