A few years I started working on a launcher, built from scratch with jetpack compose. It has all the basic functionality, and some very nice details like multi touch support, similar to iOS. Though I never released it since I got burnt out and I stopped using Android. This is making me want to go back to it and finish it.
Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
131–140 of 173 posts
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#132It's 2026, why are people still using custom launchers? Serious question from a former Nova Prime user.
My phones almost a decade old (OnePlus 5T, so I guess 8 years now), back from the time that launchers were a bit more necessary. If I had a modern android phone I probably wouldnt use a launcher, but then again I probably wouldnt use a modern android phone either
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#133Nova has been my favorite launcher for years, but after this, I may have to look elsewhere. Even as a paid user, I don't have much confidence that I'm not being sold off for ad exploitation.
I read another post this morning that there was already an update last night with a bunch of tracking code added, and additional permissions required (that didn't trigger anything for the user to know of those additional permissions). I am a paid Nova user from a decade ago, but haven't used it in ages fwiw.
I missed the post yesterday. Good to read it today. Uninstalled after reading this and switched to Octopi (interestingly the same name as the Pi-based 3D printing webservice). Only missing features so far is more icons on the drawer in width and top-used. Then again insta-search also solves this.
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#134Sad news. I've been using Nova for years now, across multiple devices.
Thankfully my build is super minimalistic and another launcher was able to replicate it pretty quickly. Black wallpaper, white icon pack, list app drawer with a few folders, 4 scrollable home screens with large white icons for the most frequent apps (browser, Gemini, personal lifestyle logging app, Signal conversation with wife).
The idea that there might be ads (albeit on the free tier) is ridiculous, but then again that is the final frontier for adtech companies. I've often thought the Google stock launcher will likely soon have ads, just like Microsoft started trying to slip them in with Windows 10.
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#135I got fed up with Nova and all the others to the point that I've built my own launcher in two evenings. Its just a black screen (no wallpaper or widgets) with a list of alphabetical scrollable apps (almost like how Windows Phone / Lumia looked), no icons/colours. Just black with white text & accents. You can tag an app as a favourite and it will show at the top. Thats it. No internet connection, no real customization…
I've never done Android app development. How simple or advanced are we talking to build something like this?
This sounds like my exact setup with Octopi. Just I have 4 scrollable home screens with the 4 most used apps as large white icons.
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#136I tried a few alternatives last night but ended up going with Lawnchair. I miss some of the deeper customisation of Nova, but its otherwise nice and stable and, most importantly, not spyware.
I'm not sure if this would actually affect me in the short term as a Nova Prime user (unsure if the extra trackers were added there too), but in the long term it certainly would
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#137> We will keep data collection minimal and purpose driven, and we will be clear about what is collected and why. We do not sell personal data. I don't believe this at all. If they aren't lying, then why did they add new trackers? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46686655
> We do not sell personal data.
Companies usually treat "anonymized" data as non personal. So in their eyes they aren't selling your personal data but their "non-personal" data. The fact it isn't does not matter because profit.
The fact they added Facebook and google trackers and not listed a why is obvious enough. Fortunately for me it did not update yet and is now gone.
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#138Can someone explain why launchers matter so much to them? All the apps I use are on a single page and it's just one button press; what more would I need than that?
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#139It's 2026, why are people still using custom launchers? Serious question from a former Nova Prime user.
People want different interfaces for the home screen of their device, obviously.
I want a black background, with a simple A-Z list of the apps I have on my phone, with some hidden. No icons, no transparency effects and animations.
Re: Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher
#140Shout out for Smart Launcher, which I'm very much enjoying: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ginlemon.flowe...