Nova Launcher’s Founder Departs Branch Metrics Amid Open-Source Uncertainty
Kevin Barry, the founder and sole developer of Nova Launcher, has left Branch Metrics after being instructed to cease work on the launcher and an open-source release. The app remains available on Google Play, but the launcher’s website currently shows a 404 error. According to The Verge, Branch Metrics acquired Nova in 2022, and the company’s former CEO, Alex Austin, had stated that if Barry were to leave, the code would be open-sourced and made available to the community. However, with Austin and Barry both leaving the company, the future of the open-source initiative remains uncertain.
Cliff Wade, Nova’s former customer relations lead and one of the employees laid off in 2024, told The Verge that the newer leadership since Austin left has shifted the company’s focus away from Nova. He stated that Nova is no longer a priority for the company, which no longer feels the need or desire to maintain it. Wade also expressed skepticism that Branch will open-source the project soon, noting that the community will need to exert pressure for the company to act. Users have launched a change.org petition to push for open-sourcing, which Wade called a ‘great start’ for applying that pressure.
With the departure of both Barry and Austin, the fate of Nova Launcher’s open-source future is now in the hands of Branch Metrics. The community is hoping that the company will honor its past commitments and consider open-sourcing the project, which has been a long-time favorite among Android users.