Swedish company Instabridge has acquired the popular Android launcher Nova Launcher. The Nova team confirmed the acquisition in a community update, stating the app will not shut down. Immediate priorities include maintaining stability, compatibility with modern Android versions, and active development. They emphasized preserving Nova's core identity of performance and deep customization.

Instabridge, known for its internet connectivity products, plans to steward Nova responsibly rather than reinventing it. The new owners will focus on fixing bugs and keeping pace with Android changes. They are actively collecting community feedback from Reddit, Play Store reviews, and email. A key question for users is whether Nova will remain ad-free; Instabridge is exploring business models, including potential ads in the free version.

The acquisition aims to provide Nova with a sustainable future after a period of uncertainty for its user base. Instabridge stated that existing Nova Prime purchases will be honored, and Prime will stay ad-free. They also addressed the recent price increase, apologizing for the timing and lowering the price to $3.99. The company is evaluating open-sourcing Nova but has no final decision yet.