One of the first names that come to mind when discussing the top Android launchers is Nova Launcher. Although the app is mainly free to use and ad-free, premium features come at a one-time cost of $4.99. However, given that the app was bought by analytics firm Branch, there are now some doubts about its future.
No, Branch will not take over the production and marketing of Nova Launcher. Your favorite third-party launcher’s inventor, Kevin Barry, is still in charge of the app. Barry has guaranteed that Nova’s development and orientation under the new ownership would not alter. But some modest adjustments are unavoidable.
But first, let’s take a closer look at what Branch does. It provides app developers with a platform to control and enhance their works. Over the years, more than 100,000 apps, including Adobe, BuzzFeed, and Yelp, have utilized its services. Over three billion people use these apps on a monthly basis worldwide.
Advertisement Branch desires to employ Nova as a testing environment. Utilizing the latter’s vast user base, the business will test out new analytics tools before making them available to its customers. Barry analyzed the connection between Branch and Nova and Google’s Pixel smartphones in an blog post . Branch would require Nova to create its analytics platform, much like Google needs Pixel smartphones to create Android. For the same reason, the business also purchased Sesame Search, a search results platform that was recently incorporated into Nova.
BRANCH WILL MAKE SOME CHANGES IN NOVA. According to Barry, Nova will develop over time as a result of Branch’s data analytics capabilities as it will have more information on what its users want. However, the app will need to make certain adjustments in order for that to happen. The most notable change is that Nova will now make more experimental features available. While potentially unstable, these additions will add more information to Branch.
A/B testing will also commence for Nova. If you didn’t know, this means that some users will receive new features while others won’t, or they will receive a different version of the same function. Once more, this is done to compile more information about user preferences. Barry claims that in the past, he shunned A/B testing.
Advertisement Thankfully, Nova won’t experience any modifications to its revenue plan. Branch apparently has no desire to alter the way Nova generates revenue. As a result, the launcher’s free version will probably continue to be ad-free in the near future. Future Nova releases will be closely monitored, and we’ll let you know if we notice any significant changes as a result of this acquisition.
Barry stated in an press release from Branch that while the Nova community and sustaining Nova Launcher as the launcher it has always been are still my top priorities, he is eager to add new features to Nova and contribute to a larger platform.
