wn@n - January 2026 Edition
Welcome to 2026! We're kicking off the new year with our biggest suite-wide update yet.
From complete redesigns to brand new features, 26U1 is packed with improvements across the entire Nova ecosystem. Here’s everything you need to know.
🎨 Orbit Design 2.5 is Here
We’re excited to introduce Orbit Design 2.5, the latest evolution of our design system. We’re working toward bringing all our apps back to this cohesive look, creating a more unified and polished experience across the entire Nova Suite. Expect to see this rollout continue throughout the year.
🚀 Major App Updates
Astro, Completely Reimagined
Astro has been completely redesigned and rearchitected from the ground up. It’s the same intelligent assistant you love, but with a brand new frontend that makes it more powerful than ever.
New Features:
- The Omnibox: Your all-in-one command center. Run / commands, add file context with @, and talk to Astro all from one place
- Astro Bits: Our new persistent artifact system replaces non-persistent Canvases. Every conversation now has a Bits organizer that hosts all your artifacts with support for markdown, popular coding languages, live previews, and more
Read the full Astro 26U1 changelog →
Nova Central: Your Dashboard, Reimagined
Nova Central gets a complete dashboard rebuild that puts what matters most front and center.
What’s New:
- New hero section with quick actions
- Today & Upcoming cards for events and todos
- Refreshed storage and shared docs views
- Integrated Calendar management with inline create/edit/delete
- Reorganized Nova Apps directory
Read the full Nova Central 26U1 changelog →
Nova Editor: Professional Word Processing
Nova Editor has been transformed into a true professional word processor with major improvements to the editing experience and performance.
Highlights:
- Redesigned document editor with standardized layout, interactive ruler, and floating status pill
- New comprehensive menu bar (File, Edit, Insert, Format, Tools)
- Massive performance boosts with optimized rendering and autosave
- Completely redesigned home page with animated gradients and document carousels
- Astro Create suite is back
Read the full Nova Editor 26U1 changelog →
Nova Chatter: Now in Early Access
Nova Chatter moves from NS+ exclusive to Early Access, making it available to everyone!
What’s New:
- Text messaging: Chat with friends using their chattercode
- Audio-first calling: Phone-style interface with seamless video switching
- Faster renegotiation: Instant camera and mic switching
- Clearer connection feedback: Real-time status indicators
- Rich messaging features including GIFs, link previews, message reactions, and gestures
Read the full Nova Chatter 26U1 changelog →
📱 Coming Soon: Nova Central Mobile App
We’re bringing Nova Central to your pocket! The Nova Central mobile app is coming soon. Stay tuned for updates on launch timing and features.
🔄 Streamlining the Ecosystem
As part of our commitment to delivering the best possible experience, we’ve made some tough decisions to streamline the Nova ecosystem.
Discontinued Apps:
- Nova Gists
- Nova Search
- Nova Calendar
- Nova Netsurf
These apps served us well, but discontinuing them allows us to focus our energy on making the core Nova Suite even better. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to evolve.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning of 2026. We have exciting plans in the works and can’t wait to share them with you. As always, your feedback helps shape the future of Nova, so don’t hesitate to let us know what you think.
Here’s to an amazing year ahead! 🎉