Since a few folks seem unaware of this, I’m posting anew for visibility.

  • RBG@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    2·
    5 months ago

    Anyone here not using an open source launcher after this announcement is seriously learning nothing from this. You are just trusting the next company that either already or eventually will go the same way. Like the dude mentioning Microsoft launcher as alternative, that one has branch analytics baked in as well as far as I remember.

    • slimarev92@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 months ago

      I backed up the APK of the last “clean” version before the sale. I’m going to keep using it until some OS update breaks it.

    • ammonium@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      Be aware that using open source doesn’t protect you completely from this, look at what happened to Simple Mobile tools, best install your open source applications from f-droid.

      Do you have any good open source alternatives for Nova Launcher?

      • RBG@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        1·
        5 months ago

        Of course, but when something like that happens to a popular app there will be an outcry. If you are not a tech person you might miss that, but I’d argue if you care about what launcher your phone has and you care about this issue to go foss you are probably the type of person who’d hear about it.

        I use KISS launcher but there are many other options mentioned here that are also good. Yes, nothing is exactly like Nova. But lots of other stuff is good too.

  • Cows Look Like Maps@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    4 months ago

    I’ve been using KISS for I don’t know how many years at this point. I can’t imagine using anything else at this point. I’m sure that there’s plenty of other great FOSS launchers out there!

  • passepartout@feddit.deEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Lawnchair is a fork of the original pixel launcher that gives some quality of life upgrades to an already good piece of software, like being able to remove the search bar, resizable / reshapable icons and fonts usw. Its also open source, so feel free to check out the github.

    There is no app store release right now but they are working on it. I’ve used the alpha versions for two years now and it has worked fine so far.

    https://lawnchair.app/downloads/

  • nul9o9@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Well damn. I’ve been on Nova launcher for years. Even bought prime and all that.

  • Snapz@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Lawn chair is the main FOSS alternative.

    Be aware that there is a play store version that is not updated (version 2) and a beta that is actively maintained (version14.2 now)

    They are quite different.

  • atomWood@lemm.eeEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Are there comparable alternatives? I never found another launcher that I like as much.

    • Hubi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      5 months ago

      I switched to Lawnchair 2. It’s free, open source and quite versatile. Probably not as much as Nova, though it’s been a few years since I last used it.

  • khannie@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    5 months ago

    To remove internet access from Nova, in android go to:

    Settings->mobile network->data usage->network access

    Go to Nova and select “disable network access”

    Nova will complain after but functions just fine.

    • flyingjake@lemmy.oneEnglish
      01·
      5 months ago

      Same here, I was a big fan of Nova until I discovered Niagara about a year ago. It’s a totally different concept from the icon based launchers. I love the minimalist approach to widgets and the self optimizing app list. Tying it in with sesame has led me that product as well and I’m finding the whole solution to be really nice

    • Demdaru@lemmy.worldEnglish
      01·
      5 months ago

      Had an old, barely living phone. Tried very hard to die on sole fact it had to display icons. KISS actually made it usable once again. ^^

    • 2501@lemmy.mlEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      It’s extremely easy to when neither has all the features that Nova does.

      • FurtiveFugitive@lemm.eeEnglish
        0·
        5 months ago

        My nova install has been frozen at the last version before the analytics company took over was. Since then I try to check out lots of launchers but none have the features of Nova.

        Maybe one day, but I’m not holding my breath anymore.

        • starman2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          5 months ago

          Which version was that, and is it still possible to swap to it?

          Edit: by the power of actually researching it instead of bothering someone else, I found it. They were bought by an analytics company in July of 2022, and the last full release version of the app before that on APK mirror was 7.0.57

  • HelloHotel@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    5 months ago

    And I BOUGHT pro! Went to Neo launcher when I started GraphineOS. May move to launchair if/when it supports work profile.

  • HidingCat@kbin.social
    01·
    5 months ago

    Honestly, don’t care. Until it gets shitty (which it still has a good chance of doing so), I’ll continue to use it.