The latest update for the popular Nova Launcher app includes Facebook Ads and Google AdMob.
Compare 8.2.4: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/698198/
With 8.1.6: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/673643/
From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the “trackers” are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.
I believe the owner also changed. It’s no longer Branch, but something called Instabridge Sweden.
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This is the free version? Last I read the paid version is ad/tracking free.
The code is on the launcher itself. Prime is a separated app that is supposed to unlock paid features and disable the ads. I’ve seen some comments on Reddit of people claiming to have prime and seeing ads, so I don’t know what’s going on.
It’s pretty common to have a free version with ads and a paid version/unlocked version. Are people just mad that the free version has more tracking/ad sources now?
I’ve been using Niagara and it took a little getting used to but it’s simple and nice. Privacy policy seems less bad than a lot of others?
I just changed launchers on my Pixel 6 because I’m slowly degoggling and the google search bar on the default launcher was the last place that had Google as a default for search. I was thinking of going back to using Nova launcher since I had purchased it way back, but decided to give Lawnchair a try. Very happy with the change so far.
I didn’t know about Lawnchair, I’ve now switched over to it as well. Thanks for sharing your recommendation!
Between Lawnchair Nightly and Octopi, I hardly miss Nova these days. Lawnchair is god-tier imo.
I’ve tried Lawnchair. It’s better than it used to be last time I tested it. With this said, I don’t seem to be able to order folders by name, changed fonts (something more compressed) and half of the icons had the old font, and others had the new one (even after restarting the app)…
I think I could make it work, but like all open source launchers I try, there’s always something half-backed or not polished enough.
were you trying a stable, beta or nightly build? I use the nightly and havent necessarily noticed anything looking old.
I used “Lawnchair 15 Beta 2”, which was the latest available on their site and Github 4 days ago.
Kvaesitso is my favorite so far after using KISS for years. Simple, but very polished! I like the clean home screen with favorite bar and searching with a few taps, or scrolling the full app page.
I finally switched from Nova to Lawnchair just a couple of months ago and I am also very happy with the result! I spent ~20 minutes customizing it to my liking and it has been working beautifully ever since. Can’t believe I held out for so long!
Newest version of Lawnchair already way better than Nova
What’s the version to use? The latest pre-release?
I installed it to test. Went to change the fonts, some apps had the old font, some had the new one (even after restarting the app). Couldn’t organize apps inside folders by name. It doesn’t seem to handle icon adaptation for old apps as well as Nova did.
I feel bad for saying this as it’s free and open, but it doesn’t seem to be as polished as Nova.
Knew this sort of thing would happen eventually, glad I made the switch away a while back.
When Nova was bought out by Branch, we all knew it couldn’t lead to anything good. But it sucks to switch away, and I know people kept using Nova because they could say “it’s not doing anything sketchy yet.”
With this news, seems safe to say that “yet” is finally “now.” Tim to switch if you haven’t already. I’m happily using Niagara now.
Is this true only for the non-paid, free version Nova Launcher? I checked for info about Nova Launcher Prime, the paid version which I’ve used for years, and don’t see anything about trackers being included.
As far as paid Android apps go, I will vouch for them. I paid for prime and have continued to use it, unlike many paid apps - such as weather apps - that after less than a year became worthless and were basically a ripoff. Nova Launcher has always seemed good.
The person who developed the launcher is not with them. So, why would you Considering, the increased push for tracking it would be stupid to use nova.
There are plenty of launchers which are useful. There’s literally no reason to still use Nova.
The paid app is not the app though. Just an unlocker for the free app to add the paid features. Unless they changed how it works the last years. Could be easily tested if you only install the Prime app and make sure you did the remove the other.
Edit, yupp, just checked play store (directly copied with the weird typo in it):
Nova Launcher Prime acts as a license for in the free Nova Launcher App. You will need to install it first.
You’re being tracked the same no matter if you pay or not. These days even paying for something doesn’t stop companies to collect all your data, just because.
This is the launcher that everyone installs. I don’t think the paid app, which only unlocks some features, has been updated (at least I haven’t received an update yet).
Thanks for the heads up! End of an era. I’ve been dabbling in Lawnchair (the new update is an improvement but some bugs remain) and Niagara (great but lacks support for a widget page).
I had purchased it several years ago, but this is at least the 3rd concerning headline in the past 3 years. If you’re still on that boat, jump ship.
The old versions are still fine. I never found a sufficient alternative, and it was (predictably) never open sourced despite the claims at aquisition so I couldn’t fork it, but at least I can freeze the last good version in time, restrict network access and updates, and hold out as long as I can.
Probably until some future android version breaks it too badly.The issue with sticking with the old versions is newer versions of Android could totally break it with no way to fix it. Enjoy it while you can, but I’d recommend at least experimenting with other launchers so you have a plan when the day comes, not if. When.
I’ll second that
Man, I’d love to adapt to some of these launchers, but day to day, having a few icons and folders in easy to reach places works better for me than having to type, scroll, use gestures, etc. I always go back to traditional launchers.
@K0Z you can use tags for apps and pin those tags at the top
Sold in 2022, fired everyone in 2024: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_(company)
It was scummy for the past 3 years.
Anything after 7.0.57 never happened, that is the latest version
And then find the app in your installed app list in Google Play and untick “install updates automatically” in the three dot menu.
I switched to and paid for Action Launcher, which is not FOSS but has tons more features than Lawnchair.
I probably won’t switch to something FOSS until I can use flexible folders. With Action I have everything I actually use on one screen, with the most obvious app in each category as the tap action on the folder. Eg I tap on the audio folder to open podcast addict but I swipe on it to open a music app instead
Switched over to Smart Launcher when Nova became abandonware.
Well, at least with Smart Launcher, they’re actually trying to add useful features rather than just shoveling in ad-tracking.
Yeah, big new feature drop from them just this month, right? They added some features that I loved from Action Launcher (swipe to open folders).
They require a monthly subscription to “unlock” premium features. No thanks.
It does have a one time payment option. Either that or getting your data sold. You can’t expect people to develop apps for free without anything in return.
At this point, I don’t mind paying something every year to keep development going (there’s always something that needs to be fixed on new Android versions) and so the author doesn’t feel the need to sell it, but monthly subscriptions… I don’t know.
I think I paid the equivalent to $4 a few years ago for Nova. I’ve been using it for 10 or so years. I wouldn’t mind paying $4 per year just to avoid this sad outcome.
I really want to switch but I need a launcher that lets me swipe on the dock left and right like how I can with home screen pages
Why?
Personally I don’t use a dock at all, and I have only one home screen for my most-used apps. Less-used apps are in folders on the home screen, and everything else is in the app drawer.
I have similar setup for lawnchair but I use “double tap” gesture to launch “AppDialer pro”. Quicker than app drawer to find the app I need.
Cheers OP for the heads up, sooooo glad I started blocking those domains a long while ago with OpenWRT > Tailscale exit node at home.
Frustrating sometimes since peeps link many charities and shit via FB, but easily circumvented via archive sites tor i2p etc.
If you’re using Nova, be aware that it keeps retrying some failed connections, so while this might improve privacy, it may also increase your battery drain.
I was going to keep using it for now with an Android firewall, but decided to uninstall it to force me to find a replacement.
Aye, I’m all good and stopped using Nova after many years when the Branch crap came out.
It’s the FB domain, and their many other bought out ones (WhatsApp nty) that are blocked at a network level here. No ghost accounts for me :p
