I have left Branch and am no longer involved with Nova Launcher

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Community reaction and sentiment

  • Many long-time Nova users express sadness and nostalgia; for some it was the first app they ever paid for and has followed them across multiple phones over a decade.
  • Several say the switch “will be painful” but feel compelled to move on given the project’s situation.
  • A petition to open-source Nova is mentioned and some readers say they’ve signed it.

Search for replacement launchers

  • Wide range of alternatives suggested, each with trade-offs:
    • Minimal/search-based: KISS, Kvaesitso, Olauncher (and OlauncherCF fork), pie menu launcher, 0launcher.
    • “Traditional” customizable: Lawnchair, Action Launcher, Hyperion, Smart Launcher, NeoLauncher, Fossify, Trebuchet.
    • Themed/novel UIs: Lynx, Kvaesitso, Square Home (for Windows Phone–style tiles), Niagara.
  • People stress that launcher recommendations need context because needs vary widely.

Desired launcher features

  • Common requirements: remove forced search bar, customizable docks, gesture-based drawer, basic widgets, grouping/categorization, minimal permissions, and no ads or telemetry.
  • Specific Nova-like features sought: swipe up/down on icons for secondary actions, using custom PNG icons, good widget resizing, and reliable gesture navigation.
  • Some complain about poor UX in alternatives (e.g., too many steps to remove an icon, awkward widget handling).

Open-sourcing and contract confusion

  • Discussion around statements that Branch “owns Nova completely” versus claims that a contract obliges Branch to open-source the code if the original developer leaves.
  • Clarified view in the thread:
    • The company (Branch) may be contractually obliged to open-source the launcher.
    • The individual developer cannot legally do so unilaterally; that would itself breach the contract.
  • Only parties to the contract would have standing to sue for breach, which may limit practical enforcement.

Gesture navigation, OEM behavior, and spyware

  • Some users have abandoned custom launchers because gesture navigation breaks often; Nova support allegedly blamed missing/buggy OEM APIs.
  • One camp attributes most breakage to Chinese OEMs (Xiaomi, Infinix, etc.) that aggressively force their own ad/spyware-heavy launchers and revert user choices.
  • Counterpoints:
    • Even Pixel devices have recent-apps/gesture bugs; not only third-party launchers suffer.
    • All major Android vendors are seen as shipping some level of “approved spyware,” so switching brands may not solve privacy issues.
  • Some argue it’s wrong to “give in” to OEM hostility; others see it as largely unavoidable.

Privacy and data collection debates

  • Privacy-focused launchers (e.g., Olauncher, KISS, Fossify) are praised for no ads and minimal permissions.
  • A tool flags Firebase in Olauncher’s Play build; the developer denies any Firebase integration and says all builds come from the same open-source codebase, leaving the discrepancy unresolved.
  • Suggestions arise for OS-level tools to deny network access to launchers, mirroring iOS’s default for third-party keyboards.

Android customization and technical limits

  • A would-be launcher developer describes hitting API limits: the system’s wallpaper rendering path prevents arbitrary image manipulation (e.g., custom blurs) unless users reset wallpapers inside the launcher.
  • Others note workarounds (e.g., system-level window blur used by Kvaesitso) but agree there are still strict constraints and OEM-specific quirks.
  • Some defend these restrictions as privacy-preserving (preventing wallpaper exfiltration and EXIF scraping); others propose finer-grained permissions that would allow effects without exposing raw files or network access.

Sustainability of indie Android apps

  • Several commenters connect Nova’s sale and decline to a broader pattern: popular indie/FOSS apps (e.g., Nova, SimpleMobileTools) being sold or enshittified due to weak business models.
  • One-time purchases from many years ago, sometimes for cents, are seen as economically unsustainable; users say they’d prefer periodic paid upgrades over subscriptions or surprise acquisitions.
  • Some keep using frozen, old versions to avoid ads/enshittification, but others note this will eventually fail on newer Android versions or devices.