The writing has been on the wall for a while now, but customizing your Android experience using a third-party launcher isn’t really a thing like it used to be. There are many reasons for this, but for the most part, Google and Samsung’s first-party offerings have gotten even better, and most consumers are looking for something simple and available right out of the box.
We get it though, there are people who swear by Nova Launcher or another option, but we now know that the lifespan of the former is a bit more limited, given that no one is working on the product at the moment. If you haven’t heard, Nova Launcher creator Kevin Barry has stepped away from the app, leaving its future in question. But good news, now we are getting a new update, which could be one of the last for the app.
One last hurray
The news comes from Android Authorityhighlighting a new beta that has just appeared, which will bring some improvements to the experience. What’s interesting is that this update isn’t anything new, with a former Nova Launcher developer chiming in, providing details that this is an update that was worked on “over a year ago.”
So while this is a valid update, it makes the release even more interesting, since no one from the original team is working on Nova Launcher anymore. For the most part, it might just be a few scraps that the company is trying to get out, but even that takes effort to ensure things won’t break.
If you’re a dedicated Nova Launcher user, this update is going to be a bit bittersweet, as it could potentially be one of the very last updates the app will ever receive. Hopefully the company responsible for Nova Launcher will find a way to continue offering updates, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Naturally, as a Nova Launcher user, you may already be looking for an alternative. If so, we suggest you try Lawnchair. It is clean and also provides important customization tools. Of course, everyone will have their own preferences, so be sure to browse the Play Store to find what suits you.
