It’s unfortunate to hear about the layoffs at Nova Launcher, a popular and widely used Android homescreen replacement app. With the team now reduced to Kevin Barry as the sole full-time developer, the app will undergo significant changes. Barry remains committed to working on Nova, but the pace of development will slow. Additionally, future updates will need to be scaled back.
This situation might impact the app’s ability to stay competitive and innovative, as a smaller team can limit the resources available for new features, improvements, and timely updates. However, given Barry’s deep involvement in the project, there’s hope that Nova Launcher will continue to receive thoughtful updates, even if they are less frequent.
The recent layoffs at Nova Launcher mark a significant shift for the app, which has been a staple in the Android Launcher community due to its extensive customization features. With Branch, the mobile analytics company that acquired Nova in July 2022, laying off over 100 employees, most of Nova’s team has been affected. This downsizing leaves Kevin Barry, the founder, as the sole full-time developer.
Rob Wainwright, one of the laid-off developers, acknowledged in a Discord post that development will slow but assured users that updates will continue in some form. The team had grown to about a dozen members, but Nova started as a solo project by Barry, and it appears it will return to those roots.
Nova Launcher…
Despite the challenges, the launcher will remain functional for current users. Barry’s post highlights his commitment to continuing work on Nova, albeit with a reduced scope. The situation reflects both the resilience of the app and the uncertain future it faces as it adapts to these significant changes.
