Since a few folks seem unaware of this, I’m posting anew for visibility.
Are there comparable alternatives? I never found another launcher that I like as much.
I switched to Lawnchair 2. It’s free, open source and quite versatile. Probably not as much as Nova, though it’s been a few years since I last used it.
It is significantly less than Nova. People keep suggesting it but it’s not a true replacement for those that were actually using Nova to its full potential. They’re frankly isn’t a replacement right now that goes all out on providing users customization options. That’s not in vogue anymore, apparently.
Lawnchair 2 isn’t available for my phone since the app is too old, and I’m only on Android 12.
Edit: this only applies to the Play Store version
Lawnchair 2 is no longer under development. The development team always starts to develop a new launcher based on the latest stock launcher every time a new Android version is released (so basically every year). This way the app usually never gets past the alpha or beta builds till they already move on to start from scratch. I don’t understand their strategy.
Shoutout for Niagara. High quality reliable launcher. Only switched away after 2+ years cuz I got a little bored of the interface
I got bored but then I noticed almost immediately how I spend so much extra time just navigating my phone on other launchers. So I switched back and then they released a wallpaper that has a fun cat in it and now he’s my home screen homey and I’m good
Niagara’s free version is still pretty great too. I usually pay for apps but don’t want a subscription for my launcher, so I use it in free mode. Despite the limitations it’s methodology of getting you to the app you’re looking for as quickly as possible is a game changer. I don’t know if I’ll be able to go back to icons and folders + app drawer launchers haha
For me Hyperion ended up giving me the closest out of the box experience to what I wanted.
Seconding Total, that’s where I ended up after leaving Nova and trying a few. Very, very customisable, but a bit of a learning curve.
Agreed re how customisable it is. Can also back up to a file for easy transfer to your next phone etc.
This will be down voted, but I also tried a bunch of launchers and never found one I liked better than Nova. I ended up installing TrackerControl and Nova has its internet connection fully disabled. It doesn’t need Internet for any features I use, so I felt like this was a good compromise, personally. I ended up starting to block trackers in all my apps now because of it, so I see it as a net win.
I haven’t found anything yet, Nova has always been the best. I’ve been using Nova since the early years like version 2 or something like that. When I heard they were going to be bought and uninstall went to vanilla Google launcher, and searched high and low for another launcher. I tried dozens over a few months and literally nothing was close to Nova. So here I am, typing this to you in an app that was launched through Nova…
Please, please, please someone make a good launcher.
I’ll probably try lawnchair again, but it isn’t nearly as good.
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.
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?
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.
Yes, nothing is exactly like Nova. But lots of other stuff is good too.
Then they aren’t good alternatives, they’re passable.
Seems crazy to me that the software that’s owned by an analytics company is also the one focused on giving the user the most customization options. None of the FOSS alternatives have the same mentality as Nova. They’re all focused more on minimalism, or evoking Pixel, or pushing a specific niche type of interface of their own design. None of them provide anywhere near as many tools to the user.
If I have to use a closed source app provided by an analytics company just to get a launcher that actually empowers the user, so be it. Maybe more of the FOSS alternatives could start taking note of why Nova is the most popular.
They got sold (sorry for reddit link) https://www.reddit.com/r/SimpleMobileTools/comments/187w64x/simple_mobile_tools_bought_by_zipoapps/
Use the fossify forks now (also on f-droid)
I backed up the APK of the last “clean” version before the sale. I’m going to keep using it until some OS update breaks it.
You don’t have to do it! :)
One of the original maintainers of Simple Mobile Tools forked the project and he’s adding new features and fixing bugs.
The project is called Fossify and you can already download the apps from both Play store and F-Droid
@Scrollone @slimarev92 The “Launcher” repository/project/portion/etc has no releases and no packages on its page, so how do i actually download it and try it?
i don’t see any kind of .apk or instructions on where one is.
Depends how important some features are for you, e.g. read here https://help.niagaralauncher.app/article/20-sesame-integration
Right now its probably OK, but Nova was also OK for a while. If a FOSS launcher does this and is popular, it will be forked. Niagara won’t be forked.
Lawn chair is the main FOSS alternative.
Be aware that there is a play store version that is not updated (version 2) and a beta that is actively maintained (version14.2 now)
They are quite different.
The man dev quit the project and others are picking up the pieces. They might not have access to the Play Store account, or maybe they do. Either way, the new team has not produced a new final version yet. Just a string of alphas and betas. As of now the beta is the main version. It’s good enough for daily use.
The beta was the first release in a few years.
The released the nightly build a few hour ago: https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/releases/tag/nightly
I guess we can expect the final version in the coming days/weeks
Could you please link to the right place, then?
I looked at Droidify and only found an old unmaintained version.
You need to work on how you ask for things… This isn’t my product and I don’t work for you.
I don’t know if this is news to you, but the “then” on the end of your statement has some sharp edges on it and represents you as entitled (making you aware if that wasn’t your intention)
A little more grace goes a long way when you’re asking strangers for help on the internet, friend.
Lawnchair is a fork of the original pixel launcher that gives some quality of life upgrades to an already good piece of software, like being able to remove the search bar, resizable / reshapable icons and fonts usw. Its also open source, so feel free to check out the github.
There is no app store release right now but they are working on it. I’ve used the alpha versions for two years now and it has worked fine so far.
I just made the switch after seeing this article.
Is there a way to get an icon to open the app drawer? Or am i forced to live with a gesture?
The choice gesture vs. nav button is usually part of android itself. In my case (pixel with therefor nearly stock android) its in settings -> system -> navigation mode (or something similar since its in german in my case). If you can’t find it, search for “navigation button your phone model”.
Edit: sorry, i just realized you meant the app drawer, not the overview of currently opened apps. I don’t know the answer to that.
Edit edit: ok i found something in lawnchairs settings. The last setting is called gestures. If you have navigation buttons enabled instead of nav gestures (see above) you could bind the home button to open the app drawer.
The last setting is called gestures. If you have navigation buttons enabled instead of nav gestures (see above) you could bind the home button to open the app drawer.
That would mean unbinding it from another feature. It feels kind of ridiculous that I have to devote my home button to something that should just be tappable on screen if three button navigation is being used.
Yeah I tried it too and that’s a major no go right there. The fact it’s based off pixel launcher is killing my interest out of the gate, but I at least hoped that it would provide the same degree of customization options and tools as Nova. Doesn’t look like it, and no ability to call the app drawer without swiping.
Frankly any app that pushes gestures as the default navigation method without respecting people that just want to use buttons and taps, I can’t say I’m interested.
Guess I’m sticking with Nova 7 until it just stops working.
I’ve used the alpha versions for two years now and it has worked fine so far.
They released a beta about a month ago.
https://lemmy.world/post/13864258
Edit: which your download link has. Just wanted to make sure you and others don’t use a 2 year old alpha instead.
But they promised that they won’t use the data for it 😜
They paid millions for it just for charity
Having participated in many “charities”, you’d be a fool to believe an operation just because it is registered as a “not for profit”.
Look at the executive-pay, and if it is over 2x the cost-of-living, you’re looking at a money-funneling-to-executives scam, that is masquerading as a not-for-profit.
The amount of spine required to have real integrity, in this planet, is apparently greater than the amount of spine available in a human life?
