New Life for Nova Launcher: The Future of Free Launchers Hinges on Ad Revenue.
In a significant shift, the popular launcher app Nova Launcher has been acquired by Instabridge, a Swedish company behind an app that helps users connect to Wi-Fi hotspots. This acquisition marks new life for Nova Launcher, which had faced uncertainty after its founder and sole developer Kevin Barry announced his departure from the project in 2024.
According to Instabridge, Nova Launcher will not be shut down, but rather kept stable, compatible with modern Android versions, and actively maintained. However, this does come with a condition – the company is "evaluating ad-based options" for the free version of the launcher. Users have already started reporting seeing ads in the latest update, which has triggered concerns among some fans of the app.
Fortunately, those who opt for Nova Launcher Prime will still get an ad-free experience. On the brighter side, Instabridge is taking a step towards openness by evaluating open-sourcing Nova Launcher's codebase. However, the company acknowledges that this process requires careful consideration of licensing, security, and trademark stewardship among other factors.
Instabridge has yet to make a final decision on whether or not to open-source Nova Launcher, but they assure users of transparency once they do. Until then, fans will be watching with bated breath as Instabridge weaves its way through the complex landscape of open-sourcing and monetization for this beloved app.
In a significant shift, the popular launcher app Nova Launcher has been acquired by Instabridge, a Swedish company behind an app that helps users connect to Wi-Fi hotspots. This acquisition marks new life for Nova Launcher, which had faced uncertainty after its founder and sole developer Kevin Barry announced his departure from the project in 2024.
According to Instabridge, Nova Launcher will not be shut down, but rather kept stable, compatible with modern Android versions, and actively maintained. However, this does come with a condition – the company is "evaluating ad-based options" for the free version of the launcher. Users have already started reporting seeing ads in the latest update, which has triggered concerns among some fans of the app.
Fortunately, those who opt for Nova Launcher Prime will still get an ad-free experience. On the brighter side, Instabridge is taking a step towards openness by evaluating open-sourcing Nova Launcher's codebase. However, the company acknowledges that this process requires careful consideration of licensing, security, and trademark stewardship among other factors.
Instabridge has yet to make a final decision on whether or not to open-source Nova Launcher, but they assure users of transparency once they do. Until then, fans will be watching with bated breath as Instabridge weaves its way through the complex landscape of open-sourcing and monetization for this beloved app.
- according to stats from 2023, the average user spends around 5-7 minutes per day on their home screen, which is about 30-40% of the overall time spent on their device! 
- here's a comparison of Nova Launcher's user base over the past year:
still, open-sourcing the codebase is a nice step forward, it's all about finding that balance between monetization and user control 
It feels like a compromise, you know? They're trying to make money, but that might mean sacrificing some of the freedom and flexibility that made the original launcher so great. And with Instabridge evaluating open-sourcing options, I'm curious to see how they'll balance codebase sharing with monetization strategies. 
. Now they're gonna put ads in the free version? That's like putting a price tag on our screen time 
. But hey, at least Prime users get an ad-free experience and Instabridge is trying to be transparent about their plans 
Nova launcher prime is still the way to go though 
and I'm still on a high from the stunning views and delicious seafood. I was talking to my friend's cousin (yeah, it's a long story) about how we need more outdoor spaces in cities because of all the stress from work and stuff... anyway, back to Nova Launcher 
! Nova Launcher has been one of my go-to launchers on Android, but now it's being acquired by Instabridge? What does this mean for us users? On the one hand, they're keeping it stable and compatible with modern versions, which is a big plus 
. Hopefully, Prime version stays ad-free 
.
. It's all about transparency and careful consideration, though. Fingers crossed Instabridge gets it right #NovaLauncher #Instabridge #AndroidAppDevelopers
but like, what's with the ads already?! i know they're trying to make it stable and all that, but c'mon, can't we just have a free version without ads anymore? 
. I mean, it's still a free launcher, right? You can't put a price on freedom to customize your phone! And hey, Instabridge is trying to find new ways to monetize it, and who knows, maybe it'll even attract more users. Let's keep an open mind (pun intended) about this whole open-sourcing thing... it could be good for the community 
I mean, I get it, Instabridge needs to make a profit, but can't they just find another way to do it without ruining the experience for us regular users? Prime is still an option, but what's wrong with paying for something you want without being bombarded with ads all day? 