There are two undeniable facts in the world of mobile phones: we have more and more more applications on the device and it will not increase much in size, but the software may improve in design and functionality. This is causing us to have more and more problems to manage our apps and find the one we're looking for in the sea of icons and folders we've transformed their screens into. Now Samsung has patented a solution.
In my case, for example, I have 122 applications not counting the system ones. I try to keep their icons organized by screen (the main one is the apps I use most) and by folders. Here we've talked about original ideas like Tags, which shows them all to you as if in one tag cloud and the most commonly used ones are highlighted by size and color. But it's still not a perfect solution.
Samsung, however, has devised several alternative methods for which it has just filed a patent application. As you can see in the images, some are very effective. The first thing they do is show a new system for creating folders. It's reminiscent of the ones we use now on both Android and iOS. You just have to drop one app on top of another to create your first folder. But Samsung's solution shows us the folders in a different arrangement to immediately distinguish it from those that are an icon of a single application.
More interesting are the ways in which the contents of the different folders are displayed. On current mobile phones, either a box with the apps opens or, as in iOS, a secondary screen. Although Samsung has also presented a variation on this system, I found the option of displaying them as if they were a single window more original. accordion. In addition, it shows a second alternative and is to display the different icons of a folder as if they were cards on a tableIt's a black and white drawing but it still looks pretty good.
There are more new features, but I would highlight a different way of doing things. scroll down to manage folders and icons. By holding your finger on the folder, when the different icons are displayed, you can slide your finger up and down to the app you want to open. As you can see, there are still many things left to invent. In addition, some related ideas allow you to protect access with secret folders for small sets of apps.
We have read it in Patent Bolt via Android Central.
Faster folders in One UI and other layers
Beyond the patent, in practice there are layers such as One UI or MIUI that allows you to add many apps to a folder at once. After creating it by dragging one app over another, a button appears “+ Add apps” which opens a list to select several at once. This option drastically shortens the organization time, is consistent with the idea of stacks of icons and avoid fighting by moving icon to icon (see Ten tricks to get the most out of Android). Depending on the brand, these customization options vary, but when present, they make a big difference.
If your phone doesn't have it: Nova Launcher to the rescue
If your device doesn't offer that native feature, a launcher like Nova Launcher o Ivy Launcher provides a very polished alternative: inside the folder you can open its menu, tap “Add applications” and select as many as you want. It's a lightweight solution, compatible with most Android phones and perfect for replicating a consistent organization between phones.
Useful settings: Samsung Free and Google Discover
For a more modern home screen focused, you can activate or deactivate the side feed (Samsung Free or Google Discover), present in many Galaxy devices with One UI and also on other Androids (see our quick settings guide).
- Hold down a Empty space from the home screen.
- Swipe to the right to the Samsung Free/Discover panel.
- Use the top switch to turn it on or off.
Edge panel, hide apps and Game Launcher in One UI
One UI adds native tools to speed up the access and reduce visual noise. The Edge panel It gives you your favorite apps on one side, and you can also hide the ones you don't use or group games in Game Launcher.
- Edge Panel: Swipe in from the edge, tap the pencil to edit and add apps or groups that you want to always have on hand (see how to add and sort shortcuts).
- Hide apps: Settings > Starting screen > Hide apps > select and confirm.
- Game Launcher: Settings > Advanced functions > activate Game Launcher to gather all the games in a single folder.
Quick sorting tips on Android
If you're just starting out, put your main apps on the starting screen from the drawer: open Applications, hold the icon and drag it wherever you want. Repeat and create folders dropping one app on another. If you organize by color, remember that thematic icons can alter their appearance and it is advisable to review the arrangement. As an extra for order and performance, from My files You can move content to the SD to make the system cleaner; to manage files, try Total Commander.
In addition to folders by use (work, media, games), some users find it useful to group by icon color for a quick visual search. You can also turn the panel on or off SamsungFree or Google Discover from the Start screen, which helps reduce distractions if you prefer a folder-centric desktop. If you want to adjust the appearance, check out how set icons.
If you notice strange behavior when managing icons or folders, the app Samsung Members allows error reports to be sent directly to the manufacturer. The data is processed in a anonymized and are retained only during the investigation, so that the team can analyze what is happening and propose solutions.
Samsung's approach with accordions, stacks, and long-press scrolling aims for more manageable speed boat tour and less frustrating on our screens. If we combine this with the option to add apps in batches and with flexible launchers, organizing hundreds of icons stops being an endless task and becomes something intuitive and sustainable over time.
