Nova Launcher has been acquired by analytics company Branch
www.androidpolice.com
Hopefully, this isn’t the end of an era for Android launchers

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

  • HelloHotel@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    And I BOUGHT pro! Went to Neo launcher when I started GraphineOS. May move to launchair if/when it supports work profile.

  • nul9o9@lemmy.worldEnglish
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    2 months ago

    Well damn. I’ve been on Nova launcher for years. Even bought prime and all that.

  • RBG@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
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    2 months ago

    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.

    • ammonium@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      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?

      • RBG@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        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.

  • HidingCat@kbin.social
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    2 months ago

    Honestly, don’t care. Until it gets shitty (which it still has a good chance of doing so), I’ll continue to use it.

  • Cows Look Like Maps@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
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    25 days ago

    I’ve been using KISS for I don’t know how many years at this point. I can’t imagine using anything else at this point. I’m sure that there’s plenty of other great FOSS launchers out there!

  • khannie@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    To remove internet access from Nova, in android go to:

    Settings->mobile network->data usage->network access

    Go to Nova and select “disable network access”

    Nova will complain after but functions just fine.