New Marshmallow App Drawer is TERRIBLE

[Geodude074]

I just got this update today, I don't like it. Being forced to scroll vertically through your entire list of apps is very annoying compared to the old quick flick left/right. Also searching for an app by typing for it is slow and cumbersome, something straight out of a desktop OS, UGH. This isn't Windows, this is Android, I don't want to type to search for something on my PHONE it should be quick and easy to find.

 

[zorak950]

I greatly prefer the vertical scroll. If you have too many apps, grabbing the scroll bar on the right will let you browse faster, so you might want to try that. I'm not a fan of app search either, but you don't have to use it.

 

[Aquila]

Between the 4 frequently used on top and the recent apps interface getting to the most common stuff is pretty easy. Another commonly used tactic is to have folders on the home screen(s) with organized groupings of apps to get quick access. Interestingly enough, the apps are still alphabetical, so the default organization is identical - just a change of direction where additional content is found. This brings the app drawer in line with the rest of the web, where additional content is usually below, as opposed to swiping to another page of content. My instinct is that once you do this for a short time it will feel more natural. But if you don't like it, Nova Launcher and other custom launchers still offer different ways to customize your app drawer.

 

[zorak950]

You can also turn off the suggested apps at the top from your Google settings.

 

[Alexander Burr]

Oh many thanks. I didn't know that. That makes it much more bearable. I still am not sure I like the vertical scroll but at least the search function is gone now.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[The Harrington]

I just got this update today, I don't like it. Being forced to scroll vertically through your entire list of apps is very annoying compared to the old quick flick left/right. Also searching for an app by typing for it is slow and cumbersome, something straight out of a desktop OS, UGH. This isn't Windows, this is Android, I don't want to type to search for something on my PHONE it should be quick and easy to find.

View attachment 198450

It was this latest change that led to me going back to Nova. Hated the vertical app draw.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Geodude074]

I greatly prefer the vertical scroll. If you have too many apps, grabbing the scroll bar on the right will let you browse faster, so you might want to try that. I'm not a fan of app search either, but you don't have to use it.

Call me extremely nit-picky about user experience, but putting a scroll bar on the right does not make things more user friendly. If I don't grab these EXACT pixels with my thumb I can't scroll quickly:



If anything this makes this even more like a desktop OS - scrollbars on a phone? It's not a good idea.

I'm a firm believer of "if it ain't broke don't fix it". The old app drawer was quick and efficient, even with 100+ apps a few quick flicks left/right from anywhere on the screen allowed you to quickly browse all your apps. Now we're being forced to vertically scroll or ENTER A SEARCH to find the app we want. UGH.

Finding a third party launcher is a fix, but I like vanilla Android's skin and not putting anything third party on top of it. Shame... feels like we're going back to Gingerbread days when third party apps fixed all of Android's shortcomings.

 

[Geodude074]

My experience with Nova Launcher so far:



This is why I avoid third party skins. This is also why I bought my phone - a Moto X - because it's vanilla Android.

 

[Geodude074]

Between the 4 frequently used on top and the recent apps interface getting to the most common stuff is pretty easy. Another commonly used tactic is to have folders on the home screen(s) with organized groupings of apps to get quick access. Interestingly enough, the apps are still alphabetical, so the default organization is identical - just a change of direction where additional content is found. This brings the app drawer in line with the rest of the web, where additional content is usually below, as opposed to swiping to another page of content. My instinct is that once you do this for a short time it will feel more natural. But if you don't like it, Nova Launcher and other custom launchers still offer different ways to customize your app drawer.

Still not as quick or easy as the old app drawer, where all I needed to do was 2-3 flicks anywhere on the screen to find something.

It's not just that it's a vertical scroll now, but the fact that it's an endless scroll. Endless scrolls are good for long browsing sessions, but they SUCK when you want to quickly find something, because you'll be endlessly scrolling until you find it.

 

[zorak950]

Well you're entitled to your opinion, but I find the vertical configuration more convenient and more visually appealing as well.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I preferred the old Android method, but at the same time I really like how Windows 10 Mobile does it (different from this) which is a vertical list with a search bar and you can quickly jump between letters at any time. It's very fast to jump straight to the letter you need, and All Apps is always just a single swipe from the Start Screen. How Android does it forces you to scroll, even if you're using the scroll bar to do it faster.
But I mean, just my opinion. I like the horizontal swipes in Lollipop but I also like the vertical scroll in Windows 10 Mobile. This is the ugly child of both that you'd think would work but doesn't.

 

[Ed Briggs]

Call me extremely nit-picky about user experience, but putting a scroll bar on the right does not make things more user friendly. If I don't grab these EXACT pixels with my thumb I can't scroll quickly:

I can swipe quickly and be at the bottom of the list in a second. Much faster than going page by page. However, I really don't care too much about what kind of app drawer is used, because I have a folder on my home screen with all of my frequently used apps. I don't use the app drawer very often. I don't understand why people get so upset about trivial things.

 

[travaz]

I greatly prefer the scroll method to find apps. One person's wine is another person's vinegar

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I can swipe quickly and be at the bottom of the list in a second. Much faster than going page by page. However, I really don't care too much about what kind of app drawer is used, because I have a folder on my home screen with all of my frequently used apps. I don't use the app drawer very often. I don't understand why people get so upset about trivial things.

Trivial to you isn't exactly trivial to someone else. It's still an integral part of the operating system. It's not like an emoticon was removed or changed.
That being said, maybe it's time to mix things up. It's been the same horizontal pages since forever.

 

[gone down south]

This is the kind of thing that gets people furious and threatening to move to Canada, them in 3 or 4 days you relearn the actions and never think about it again.

 

[Elander]

App search can be tedious

 

[Zachary Boddy]

This is the kind of thing that gets people furious and threatening to move to Canada, them in 3 or 4 days you relearn the actions and never think about it again.

People are silly.

 

[isdaako]

I prefer the new app... if only it had a dark theme.

 

[DJCBS]

This isn't Windows, this is Android

You're right. Because for all the bad things Windows Phone has, at least the apps are separated alphabetically and if you click the letter it gives you a menu will all the letters of the alphabet so you can jump directly at least to the list of apps that start with that letter.

I honestly don't know what possessed Google to opt for such a dumb change but honestly...seeing the path Google is taking Android since 5.0.2 Lollipop, I'm starting to not be surprised. More and more I'm craving for OEMs to actually heavily skin the OS just to fix the mess Google is going. And that should never even be a craving anyone should have when using an OS.

 

[Ccota08]

For those of you who are saying you prefer the Windows method with the vertical list and the letters, I highly recommend Action Launcher. I've been using AL2 for the past year and just made the switch to AL3 last week. It's easily my favorite launcher and the fastest way to access apps.