PSA: Nova Launcher has been owned by analytics company Branch since 2022
Hopefully, this isn’t the end of an era for Android launchers
Since a few folks seem unaware of this, I'm posting anew for visibility.
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Shameless plug for the best android launcher ever made imao
KISS Launcher (Blazingly fast launcher focused on search) https://f-droid.org/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/
I'm not really a fan of "clean" and "minimalist" launchers when they get to the point of impeding my productivity. And keeping a curated list can tap into muscle memory, improving speed further.
For example:
I've got 13 apps I can launch with a single tap, 13 more one extra swipe away (unless you count the swipe into my app drawer, which would bring it up to ~32 more).
Just something to keep in mind when looking for a launcher: you might want to find your definition of fast. If KISS works for you, all the more power to you. But I lament the lack of FOSS launchers that are more Nova-esque.
It sounds like you have something that works for you, and that's great! But I don't think it's accurate to pigeonhole this other approach as being "for minimalists." I've used KISS Launcher for a long time and I don't think of it as especially clean or minimalist. It's a powerful and flexible way to launch pretty much anything.
I too have built a muscle memory, and mine is tapping a few letters to filter through apps and launch the one I want. The same approach works when finding a contact in KISS. And from the same box I can also launch a web search with my default search engine, or enter a URL to visit directly in my browser. Where things get a little nuts is that this same search filters through apps' intents as well: hidden shortcuts to launching specific functionality within the app.
All of these searches happen as I type, as quickly as I type, with results weighted by my launch history. And if for whatever reason I want to scroll through a complete drawer of my apps (it happens), that's one tap away. I'd say KISS manages to be both maximalist and instant.
This approach may require more taps, but less thinking. I never have to start by asking "Am I looking for a tier-1 tap app? Tier-2 swipe app? A drawer app?" Every app (and contact, search, URL or intent) is a few keystrokes away, always the same muscle memory, and that's my idea of fast.
I can't type right to save my life. If I want Boost it'll either come up "Voist" or "Boat" depending on whether I tap or glide. (And switching to a private keyboard has made this more of an uphill battle for me.)
You've got me dead to rights about forgetting where things are (besides the home screen), which is why I'm glad my launcher of choice has things organized not just in the Apps drawer, but in folders within them.
I appreciate the insight though. Not everybody's workflow is going to be the same, and needing X apps at a certain distance will affect different people different ways.
True, I have one page with a few folders and gestures added to several icons. I've been using this setup for a few years so switching to different apps goes crazy fast.
I second this. I've been using KISS exclusively for years and I love its workflow. My homescreen is totally clean except the quick-launch bar, and I can find all my apps within seconds instead of having to swipe through a sea of pages or folders of icons.
I'm actively trying the launcher as an alternative to Nova (I was still on Version 7, so might as well start jumping ship before things happen). I got very used to widgets on other launchers, so this is nice if you like that "clean" look and actually remember what your apps are named. I'm bad at both of those ideas. Good launcher otherwise.
