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.
EDIT:
More tracking added. “Moloco”: https://old.reddit.com/r/NovaLauncher/comments/1qq1x9c/deep_dive_nova_launcher_beta_830_the_adtech/
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Install this, go to Play Store and turn off Auto Updates for this app.
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
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 have an eye on Lawnchair, it’s just missing customizations.
But I also don’t have auto updates, and besides android apps tend to work on newer versions for a very long time unless Google purposefully wants to break them.
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.
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.
Do they have real tablet support yet? I’ve been holding out for a good launcher I can use on all my android devices.
I was using Nova until about a year ago I switched to Niagara launcher. The interface is clean, intuitive and fast
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.
They require a monthly subscription to “unlock” premium features. No thanks.
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.
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.
I have zero problem paying for software, as that’s how I make my living. I don’t expect free updates for life, but I refuse to have everything in my life be a subscription.
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).
I’ve been using Nova since Android 4.x and I am really did not want to switch, but it sounds like I have no other option now.
It’s going to be a pain; multiple family members use Nova on their smartphones/tablets and they are used to the interface.
Can Lawnchair be customized to replicate Nova?
I’ve been using Nova launcher for just as long, and finally got off of it in November. First it was no updates, then whispers of ad injections, and now the ads are actually here.
With that said, I tried Lawnchair, and found it to be clunky, unintuitive, and either lacking the features that I wanted or I couldn’t find them.
I ended up going with Smart Launcher, which has been a fantastic replacement. It’s got everything that Nova Launcher has and more, and it’s very easy to use.
Smart Launcher is great so far. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thanks for the suggestion, I am so not looking forward to moving the family off Nova (lots of tech support), but it must be done.
I too switched to Lawnchair from Nova and am pretty happy with it. Has a similar experience.
An ad company added trackers to an app they bought? Wow. Shocker.
Glad I ditched Nova when they were initially acquired.
deleted by creator
Glad I bailed, sad to see this from a launcher I used for years, but big Ole YIKES to everything since they were bought out.
Using AIO launcher now. Don’t care for the chat gpt feature it’s pushing. But when you ignore that it’s just a nice slimmed down minimal utilitarian UI.
No Facebook Ads or Google Ads on that launcher, but there’s the same Branch analytics stuff that made people leave when Nova was sold for the first time:
https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.qqlabs.minimalistlauncher/latest/
… Fuck.
Ty
btw, the launcher you linked to is called “minimalist phone”, that’s what the scan is about.
if you meant to link this “AIO Launcher”, then it still collects telemetry and crash reports, but I guess most launchers on the play store do this: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/ru.execbit.aiolauncher/latest/
it seems that the only way to use a “clean” launcher is to use an open source alternative.
TIL Nova still exists…
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
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 need a launcher that lets me make the icons bigger and in a 3x3 grid. Galaxy S10. What should I use instead?
Lawnchair does that and is FOSS
Thanks, I’ve even heard of that one.
