HomeNova Launcher Founder and Sole Developer Departs Project
Following the layoffs last year that affected nearly the entire team behind Nova Launcher, one of the most well-known Android launchers, founder Kevin Barry—now the project's only developer—announced this past weekend that he has departed Nova's parent company. This came after he was instructed to cease development on the launcher and efforts to open-source it. The Nova Launcher website now returns a 404 error, although the app is still downloadable via Google Play.
Nova was acquired by mobile analytics firm Branch Metrics in 2022. At that time, then-CEO and co-founder Alex Austin stated on Reddit that if Barry were ever to leave Branch, "it is contractually mandated that the codebase will be open-sourced and transferred to the community." Austin himself left Branch in 2023, and now that Barry has also officially exited the company, it is uncertain whether the launcher will actually be made open source.
Barry declined to comment when contacted by The Verge. We have also reached out to Branch for a statement.
“I believe the company's leadership after Alex Austin's departure has shifted its priorities, and Nova simply no longer aligns with that focus in any way,” said Cliff Wade, Nova's former head of customer relations, who was let go in the 2024 layoffs. “To them, it is just another app they own but no longer see a need or desire to support.”
Wade further noted, “I don’t expect Branch will take the appropriate steps to open-source Nova anytime soon. My sense is they are indifferent and unwilling to devote any resources—unless, of course, they face sufficient pressure from the community and concerned individuals.” A change.org petition has been launched urging the company to open-source the project, which Wade sees as a “promising start” to building momentum. However, Wade clarified that he has not personally reviewed Barry’s contract and could not verify the claim of a legal obligation to open-source Nova.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that the community “deserves” to see the launcher made open source. “Branch simply needs to do the right thing and honor both the company's earlier statements and the repeated commitments made by former CEO Alex Austin before his departure.”
Additional reporting by Dominic Preston.
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![ThomasMiller]()
C'est triste de voir un projet aussi iconique perdre son créateur... 😔 Est-ce que Nova va devenir un logiciel abandonné maintenant ? Ça me rappelle un peu ce qui s'est passé avec Tasker il y a quelques années.
Following the layoffs last year that affected nearly the entire team behind Nova Launcher, one of the most well-known Android launchers, founder Kevin Barry—now the project's only developer—announced this past weekend that he has departed Nova's parent company. This came after he was instructed to cease development on the launcher and efforts to open-source it. The Nova Launcher website now returns a 404 error, although the app is still downloadable via Google Play.
Nova was acquired by mobile analytics firm Branch Metrics in 2022. At that time, then-CEO and co-founder Alex Austin stated on Reddit that if Barry were ever to leave Branch, "it is contractually mandated that the codebase will be open-sourced and transferred to the community." Austin himself left Branch in 2023, and now that Barry has also officially exited the company, it is uncertain whether the launcher will actually be made open source.
Barry declined to comment when contacted by The Verge. We have also reached out to Branch for a statement.
“I believe the company's leadership after Alex Austin's departure has shifted its priorities, and Nova simply no longer aligns with that focus in any way,” said Cliff Wade, Nova's former head of customer relations, who was let go in the 2024 layoffs. “To them, it is just another app they own but no longer see a need or desire to support.”
Wade further noted, “I don’t expect Branch will take the appropriate steps to open-source Nova anytime soon. My sense is they are indifferent and unwilling to devote any resources—unless, of course, they face sufficient pressure from the community and concerned individuals.” A change.org petition has been launched urging the company to open-source the project, which Wade sees as a “promising start” to building momentum. However, Wade clarified that he has not personally reviewed Barry’s contract and could not verify the claim of a legal obligation to open-source Nova.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that the community “deserves” to see the launcher made open source. “Branch simply needs to do the right thing and honor both the company's earlier statements and the repeated commitments made by former CEO Alex Austin before his departure.”
Additional reporting by Dominic Preston.
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C'est triste de voir un projet aussi iconique perdre son créateur... 😔 Est-ce que Nova va devenir un logiciel abandonné maintenant ? Ça me rappelle un peu ce qui s'est passé avec Tasker il y a quelques années.
