Nova Launcher, a mainstream third-party desktop launcher for the Android platform, has been acquired by Branch, a mobile link analysis company, along with its related app Sesame Universal Search.
Kevin Barry, the developer of Nova Launcher, announced that Branch has purchased both apps and hired a team consisting of him, Nova community manager Cliff Wade, and the Sesame Search developers.
Branch’s primary business is to provide a platform for app developers to manage and analyze the deep links in their apps. Since 2014, its technology has been integrated into more than 100,000 apps, including those from companies like Adobe, BuzzFeed and Yelp.
Barry promises that the original team remains under full control and will continue to guide the development of Nova Launcher and Sesame Search. The team promises that Nova Launcher will not become a subscription-based paid, intrusive tracking, generic Android desktop with ads, and that Nova Launcher Prime will remain a one-time purchase that unlocks all premium features. In addition, most of the new features that support Branch will be optional.
Barry also said that Nova Launcher will likely undergo A/B testing for feature and design changes, but given his focus and continued development efforts over the past decade, Barry said, this acquisition may just be the shot in the arm Nova Launcher needs to reach new peaks.
