Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Samsung lets you ditch the app drawer — it’s like running iOS on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
The app drawer has been synonymous with Android since its inception, but it could be going away very soon. LG already has removed it by default on the G5, and Google is rumored to be removing it from Android N. Now Samsung appears to be jumping on the bandwagon as well.

A new Samsung Labs area in the settings of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge gives you the power to remove the app drawer completely. After making the selection, you’ll notice the app drawer icon is gone from the bottom right, and the look and feel will be very similar to iOS on the iPhone. All your app icons will reside on the home screens, but you can still move them around to wherever you wish or add them to folders.

Recommended Videos

Pre-order the Galaxy S7 at: SamsungAT&TT-Mobile, SprintVerizon

galaxy-s7-edge-settings-no-app-drawer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Android without an app drawer isn’t totally new, but it is to most of us here in the U.S. Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and Xiaomi ditched the app drawer long ago. The reasoning was that the app drawer could confuse consumers, which is an admission that Apple got it right when it designed its own iOS. However hardcore Android fans love the app drawer because it means less clutter on the home screen.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

While Samsung is giving you the choice of whether you want the app drawer or not, it’ll at least be there by default. LG went in a completely opposite direction with the G5 in removing the app drawer by default. However, users can still get it back by going into the home screen settings and changing it from Home to EasyHome.

It remains to be seen if Samsung and/or LG will remove the app drawer completely or if it will remain an option. The same goes for Google. The rumor is the app drawer will be removed from Android N, but it’s unclear if Google will give users an option. If removed completely, the next question we have to ask is if users can still install a third-party launcher? And we might not know the answer to that until Google I/O.

Robert Nazarian
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
I like the Galaxy S25 Ultra far more than I expected to
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera.

Samsung’s newest flagship has finally landed in stores and it would be easy to look at the Galaxy S25 Ultra as nothing more than an iterative upgrade that brings a few small upgrades to the table. However, as Andy covered in our Galaxy S25 Ultra review, to do so would be to do a disservice to the overall experience.

While reviewing the Galaxy S25 Plus — which offers a lot but failed to meet my expectations — over the past two weeks, I’ve also been using the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It turns out that while Samsung’s middle-of-the-road flagship didn’t quite hit the mark, its flagship sibling has left a mark on me.

Read more
Samsung might return to all-Exynos for its Galaxy S26 lineup
A close up of the triple camera on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus

Samsung has seen a smoother development with its Exynos 2600 chip than it did with the 2500, according to a new report. Prior to the release of the Samsung Galaxy S25, rumors suggested the phone could use the Exynos 2500 or the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and leaks provided a lot of conflicting information. Now, a report from a Korean news outlet says the company has already achieved a 30% yield from its manufacturing process.

The company is using a 2 nanometer production process, and it's initial yields were higher than expected according to The Bell. Samsung plans to start mass production of this chip in the second half of the year and say it could improve performance by 12% and power efficiency by 25%.

Read more
This One UI 7 update just made my Galaxy S25 Ultra way more fun
Prakhar Khanna holding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for 10 days now, and the best and worst part about the new Galaxy flagship is its familiarity. The familiar form is good because Samsung delivered much-needed experiential upgrades such as improved battery life, better skin color temperature in cameras, and more without substantially changing the hardware.

But Samsung played it a little too safe with the Galaxy S25 Ultra instead of experimenting and trying new things. It was starting to feel like just another stale incremental update--until I installed One UI 7’s latest Home Up update. It brought new, customizable ways to interact with the phone and truly personalize it to your liking.
What's this new Home Up update about
 

Read more