Just got a new work phone: Galaxy S22. Wanted a pixel but it was out of stock in our internal allocation. Already tired of samsung’s UI and interested in something new.
So what do you like? Bonus points if it works with android enterprise’s profile mode dual app drawers.
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I’ve been using Nova for years and I have no complaints.
I absolutely love Nova Launcher Pro. Easy to get to what I need. Also integrates with sesame and Delta icon pack.
I was a huge fan until their acquisition by the shady company. I keep the pre-acquistion version on older phones.
+1 for Nova.
Been using it since my Pixel 1 XL, on a Pixel 6 Pro now.
I am going to switch back to the default Pixel Launcher for a week to see if anything has changed(and just for fun), but I think I’m going to be on Nova after lol.
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Same. Too lazy to switch to anything else
+1 for Nova
Use Lawn Chair
Been using Lawn Chair for the past year or so. Looks good, does what I want and stays out of my way the rest of the time. Top marks for me.
It’s also FOSS and respects your privacy. Also very lightweight.
Long time user of lawnchair (4+ years), never felt like changing it to anything else, it works amazingly well.
I’ve been using nova launcher prime since forever. Make a backup on my old phone when getting a new one, and import it on the new phone.
How do you feel about nova launcher being bought out by that data collection company?
:( I used Nova Prime for many years, and I don’t like this one bit. I hope that the devs got a good payout, and best wishes to them, but it makes me uncomfortable. Luckily, while it’s definitely no Nova, Samsung’s launcher has finally on the most recent version gotten to a point of usability. Everything is more awkward to do, and you have to install extra Samsung apps (Good Lock with applets) for a lot of the customization, but most of my favorite features from Nova are finally there. So, for the first time in many years, I’m running the Samsung default OneUI 5.1.
Wait you don’t think Samsung is collecting your data?
Yes, I do think they are, but by choosing a Samsung smartphone, I’ve already decided to be OK with that on some level. I turn off features that connect to outside companies for the most part, and I’ve chosen to believe that Samsung does what it claims with the settings that users have available to them on the phone. It doesn’t mean that I’m just fine with handing everything over to any other random company. Samsung states that they use Branch for searches inside their Galaxy Store. Some claims have been made that Branch powers the Finder (search) function on Samsung phones (althugh I can’t find confirmation), but this Finder Customization Service is a feature you can disable on a Samsung Galaxy phone. You can also turn off search suggestions for Finder and disable it’s ability to open links. You can disable Google and Samsung’s browsers and Internet searches as well.I am the sort of user who checks permissions of apps before downloading them (and disables everything I don’t use), and I don’t want my launcher (which I paid for) on a device I paid a not small sum of money for, to send every single tap back to a marketing firm directly.
Wait. What happened?
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Since they mentioned backups they might be on the last good version of the launcher pre purchase (I guess)
NOVA. Every single time I’ve tried an alternate launcher, I always return to NOVA within 24 hours.
I bought Nova Prime 10 years ago and was using it already years before that. Unfortunately they were bought out by Branch last year. And most of the time this isn’t positive for the app. Guess I have yet an other app tracking and sending my data… 🙄
KISS Launcher for me. Minimal UI so you can see your wallpaper, decent search and open source. I’m surprised there aren’t more mentions of it here actually.
I second this
Same here, fast, clean and simple.
Giving it a try now - seems great so far!
Since i bought Niagara Launcher my phone(s) feel very fluent and contemporary. I’d say the best piece of software I bought for Android.
Second this. Niagara Launcher allows me so much easier access to apps. Cleaner home page and all apps in an easy to navigate alphabetical list. Super easy
Niagara is the best! Never needed any other launcher
yep Totally, I used to swap launchers frequently but since I tried and then bought Niagara… I just can’t use anything else, now a stock phone makes no sense to me anymore.
I’m trying niagara now, and it seems like I can’t put the Lemmy web app into a popup folder, because I can only choose items for a folder from the list of installed apps. That’s a little annoying, but maybe I’ll get used to it. And maybe there will be a good Lemmy app soon.
I actually had a similar issue but I believe I got around it by listing it first into the app list THEN putting it into the folder. Let me know if that doesn’t work and I’ll try and recreate it and let you know what I did
Nova launcher, made this with it
You’re on a fediverse app, you should know that Nova was the center of some controversy when they sold to a company that is likely harvesting and selling user data. Many have left Nova.
I appreciate you sharing this. I had no idea. Time to find an alternative.
Also Nova. I’m pretty sure that Google and Samsung copied features from it for their official UI over the years. It’s always been forward thinking and extremely customizable for the use experience.
Nova too, nice homepage, I have the same icon pack but on a boring 4x4 grid :)
That looks nice. Digging the grayscale look!
Seconding Nova. It’s been a while since I’ve used it, not since when gesture navigation was added and changing launchers would break it. Prior to that though, I loved it for the customization ability. It was a must-have on every phone.
Nova Launcher Prime. The only one I stuck too, and never managed to leave.
OLauncher, it’s FOSS, minimalist, simple and available on F-Droid.
Finally a launcher that won’t be bought by a data telemetry company
I use Niagara Launcher mostly for the minimalist look. But also because Nova was bought by an analytics company a bit ago.
Just switched to Niagara after seeing other comments about Nova being sold. Rip Nova, I only use like 8 apps anyway.
I installed it but def need to give it some time. Pretty confusing at first. Seems like a super neat idea though! How long did it take you to get used to it?
I loved using Nova, but they got bought by a data mining company. I’m using Active Launcher now.
Oh what? Damn I’ve been using only Nova for years and years. Who bought them?
According to this article, an analytical giant by the name of Branch last year?
https://www.makeuseof.com/nova-launcher-branch-is-it-still-safe-to-use/
Yeah ever since that happened I turned off automatic updates and have been sticking with the pre-branch APK. So far no issues but I will probably eventually have to pivot away from it.
But I struggle to find stuff that has every feature I need. Nova lets me customize a swipe up and a swipe down on each icon. For instance if I swipe up on kiwi browser it automatically opens the YouTube music browser and if I swipe down on it regular YouTube browser.
It allows me to get three times as much usage out of my icons on the front screen and keep it much more minimal.
Alternatives usually only have one swipe option if that.
But I’ll keep trying. Like a half dozen launchers downloaded right now but every time I switch I miss something about Nova and end up going back.
Especially on my LG and Samsung devices. Crazy about these stock software on those with phones. I’m using a pixel I’d be more inclined to stick with the stock software. Although I would still probably download zone launcher or floating bar to control my remote control and the flashlight
Do you have a link for “Active launcher”? When I search for it I can only seem to find “Activity launcher” but that is a completely different app.
Edit: Reading the the other posts I guess he meant Action launcher.
Yes, I meant Action Launcher. Sorry about that.
I love me some Nova
I’m going to piggy back on this comment for all the people who don’t want to do the research on Nova and their recent acquisition by Branch. You can opt in or out of usage statistics and all permissions in the app. The new mods on their discord have a FAQ that expresses this also. I have no way to prove otherwise but if all we have is their word then you should take all apps usages disclosures with a grain of salt.
Edit: funny enough I just installed and read the first few paragraphs of Niagra’s privacy policy which says it collects and shares user analytics. To each their own I guess.
Protip: If you are somewhat skeptical of the Branch integration, you can disable network permission in Android for the Nova Launcher. It doesn’t need to connect to anything to work fine generally speaking. Without network permisson, the launcher can’t send anything to the internet.
Yeah I just turned off automatic updates on Nova the minute I found out about branch. I’m just going to stick with the pre-branch version of the app until it doesn’t function anymore or I find a suitable replacement.
But you’re right, a lot of the alternatives aren’t all that much better in terms of their privacy policy. Being owned by a shady data company… It’s absolutely discouraging. Obviously something like Microsoft launcher probably isn’t that much better in terms of privacy of course.
Wait, what? I didn’t hear about them getting acquired. That sucks.
Happened like a year ago or something. If you go look at the ratings on the Play store by recent a lot of people were upset. I still use Nova but I haven’t updated it to the new branch version of the APK. I’m sure eventually I’ll have to find a new launcher
It literally doesn’t effect anything if you opt out.
I use neolauncher Not quite nova but okay once you set it up
You can grab it on fdroid or directly on GitHub https://github.com/NeoApplications/Neo-Launcher
Thanks. I was looking for a Nova replacement.
Huh… Looks very nova-esque.
T-UI. Probably not everyones cup of tea, but its hard to go back.
Not available on Android 13 :(
I am on GrapheneOS, based on Android 13, on a 64-bit only CPU. It is available. You might need to download it from F-Droid, I have no clue about whether the Play Store version is downloadable, as it isnt too actively maintained.
that went much better, unfortunately it seems it’s not for me. despite my phone having a slide-out keyboard, it is not tenable for me to open either it or the softkeyboard just to open an app. thanks for the suggestion anyway!
