Can Nova Launcher survive with just one developer?
Nova Launcher, a widely recognized Android home screen replacement app, has experienced substantial layoffs within its development team. The staff has been reduced to just one full-time developer, Kevin Barry, who also happens to be the launcher's founder. Despite this drastic reduction in workforce, Barry has assured that the development of Nova Launcher will continue under his guidance. However, the process will surely slow down.
Development pace expected to slow down
The significant reduction in staff is expected to impact the pace of Nova Launcher's development. Rob Wainwright, a former developer who was among those laid off, confirmed this in a post on the project's Discord. "Development will undoubtedly slow with fewer people working on the app, but the current plan is for updates to continue in some form," he stated.
Future updates may see reduced features
Barry has hinted at a possible reduction in the scope of future updates due to the layoffs. He suggested that some features or enhancements initially planned for the next major version of Nova, might be delayed or omitted from the upcoming release. This development comes as a result of Branch, a mobile analytics company that acquired Nova Launcher in July 2022, laying off over 100 employees across its entire company, including the bulk of Nova's team.
Nova Launcher will continue to function
Despite the layoffs, Cliff Wade, Nova Launcher's customer relations lead, has confirmed that the launcher will continue to function for existing users. Barry reflected on the early days of Nova and stated, "The original Nova team, for many years, was just me." This statement suggests that despite current challenges, the future of Nova Launcher remains in capable hands.
