Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Nova Launcher has introduced layoffs have decreased its workforce all the way down to only one member.
- The app continues to be accessible however there’s now not assets for buyer help and actually something past growth.
- Reportedly work continues on Nova 8.1, however its future is a bit unsure, to say the least.
In the event you’ve been an Android consumer because the early days, odds are you’ve used Nova Launcher sooner or later. Customized launchers have misplaced a little bit of momentum in recent times, largely on account of Google eradicating native gesture help and different options that beforehand allowed third-party launchers to combine seamlessly. Regardless of this, Nova nonetheless has a loyal fanbase, and I typically apply it to check gadgets the place the default launcher feels too iOS-like, corresponding to on telephones from Oppo and Vivo.
Sadly, plainly Nova, as we all know it, is about to vary, as its dad or mum firm has successfully laid off practically all the workforce.
Department Metrics purchased Nova Launcher again in 2022, and on the time, most Android fanatics had been skeptical in regards to the launcher’s future. It appears that evidently skepticism was well-founded. Information of the layoffs involves us by way of messages from Nova Launcher veterans like Rob Wainwright and Cliff Wade, each of whom shared the information utilizing official Nova accounts on X (previously Twitter) and Discord, respectively.
It seems that Department Metrics has laid off over 100 staff throughout all the firm, together with everybody on the Nova workforce, apart from its founder and authentic developer, Kevin Barry. That’s a reasonably large change from what was beforehand a twelve-person workforce. What does this imply for Nova Launcher going ahead? Truthfully, it’s too early to say.
Formally, these now former Nova Launcher staff appear to echo the sentiment that there’s no purpose to panic and that Kevin will proceed his good work. Nonetheless, we are able to’t assist however really feel that that is simply typical PR converse meant to clean over the scenario, and that the extra doubtless reality is that even Department Metrics itself most likely isn’t fairly positive what to do with Nova Launcher going ahead.
For one, there’s now not any buyer help or PR — it’s now a one-man present. Based on Kevin, whereas it’s vastly disappointing to lose a lot of his workforce, he continues to work on Nova Launcher and has already wrapped up some work on Nova 8.1. That’s a optimistic signal, however it’s additionally price mentioning that he clarified it should have a “reduce scope in comparison with what was deliberate.” He additionally famous that there’s lots of chaos and nonetheless many unknowns to kind out in the intervening time.
On the very least, with fewer assets, it’s inevitable that growth time will decelerate and that Nova Launcher will evolve at a a lot slower tempo. If we needed to guess, this doubtless means there shall be restricted help past simply minor bug fixes and patches as soon as Nova 8.1 really launches.
We’ve reached out to Department Metrics for extra clarification in regards to the layoffs and the way forward for Nova Launcher, and we are going to replace this text if and after we hear again.
