Nova Launcher Shutdown Marks the End of an Era in Android Customization

Nova Launcher, once a household name among Android enthusiasts, has officially reached the end of its journey. For more than a decade, this launcher served as the go-to solution for users who wanted deep customization, faster performance, and a clean interface that outshone many default Android setups.

Now, however, its founder and sole developer, Kevin Barry, has stepped away, leaving the project with little chance of revival.

The story of Nova’s decline stretches back to 2022, when mobile analytics firm Branch Metrics acquired the launcher. At the time, Branch’s CEO Alex Austin promised that if Barry ever departed, Nova would be released as open source. But Austin himself exited the company in 2023, and a year later, Branch laid off more than 100 employees, including the team that had been supporting Nova. Left with Barry as the only original developer, the app’s fate was hanging by a thread until he confirmed in 2024 that he was asked to stop working on it altogether.

Today, Nova’s official website is offline, though the app remains downloadable from the Google Play Store. The prospect of an open-source release, once a hopeful lifeline for fans, now appears unlikely. Barry admitted he was in the process of preparing an open-source version but was halted before completion. For many users who had stuck with Nova since its early days, this feels like a broken promise, especially since the contract at acquisition seemed to guarantee such a release.

Community reactions highlight just how deeply Nova Launcher shaped the Android ecosystem. Some longtime users recall relying on it since the Nexus phone era, praising how it gave their devices a sense of personality and flexibility. Others point out that while launchers may not be as central to Android today – especially with Google’s Pixel phones offering smooth stock experiences – Nova’s role in showing what was possible with Android customization cannot be overstated. One fan described it as “legendary,” and for many, that term isn’t an exaggeration.

Still, nostalgia has not erased practical concerns. With no updates in over a year, Nova’s decline was visible long before Barry’s exit. Tech-savvy users note that the writing was on the wall once Branch took over and development slowed. A Change.org petition, signed by over 2,200 people, is calling for the open-source promise to be honored, though given the corporate turbulence at Branch, chances seem slim.

As Android itself evolves toward tighter ecosystems and fewer customization options, the shutdown of Nova Launcher feels symbolic. It marks the end of an era where users could easily bend their devices to their will. Whether or not Nova is ever open-sourced, its influence will continue to live on in the way modern Android interfaces are designed – and in the fond memories of those who once swore by it.