Sorry, Samsung, I still don’t want to use Good Lock

In 2023, Samsung utterly modified its Galaxy Z Flip sequence when it expanded the duvet display and turned it into the Flex Window. It made notifications simpler to work together with, widgets extra helpful, and even introduced fully-fledged app assist to the entrance of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 — effectively, not less than for a small handful of apps. For every little thing else, you needed to set up Good Lock and bounce via a sequence of hoops to create a second app drawer.

I complained concerning the unusual setup on the time however figured it was a one-year hiccup that Samsung would repair as soon as it had extra time to fine-tune its Flex Window expertise. Boy, was I improper, so right here we go once more. Sorry, Samsung, I nonetheless don’t wish to use Good Lock on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — not less than not for this.

Actually, my downside with apps on Samsung’s Flex Window isn’t one in every of optimization. It’s one in every of entry. I don’t thoughts that Samsung hasn’t gone and made a bunch of apps work completely on its oddly formed cowl display, because it solely has management over its first-party choices — none of which I exploit. Nonetheless, splitting its app drawer into two items and hiding them in two separate locations makes for a studying curve that’s only a bit too steep.

On one hand, you will have apps that Samsung formally helps on the Flex Window — so few that you possibly can most likely depend them on one hand. The toggle to entry these is hidden within the Labs part of the Settings app, which is totally separate from the Flex Window settings. Once I received there, I used to be greeted with an app drawer that held Messages, YouTube, and Google Maps, and that’s it. Not precisely a well-stocked drawer.

For every little thing else, you continue to want Good Lock — or not less than one small a part of it. I remembered that a lot from my time with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, however I couldn’t keep in mind which one of many many Good Lock parts really opened up entry to the app drawer (it’s known as MultiStar, by the way in which). Nothing inside Good Lock jumps out and screams, “Add me to your Galaxy Z Flip; I’ve apps!” As an alternative, I had to return and reference my information on accessing any app on the Flex Window — I actually wrote the information and couldn’t keep in mind tips on how to do it.

If Samsung streamlined the method and tell us within the Labs menu that its app assist isn’t excellent and that quirky layouts generally happen, that may be fantastic. I don’t suppose anybody minds that apps designed for tall, skinny shows don’t work fairly proper on brief, extensive ones, however I’ve by no means met anybody who wished that they had two app drawers as an alternative of 1.

Don’t get me improper; there are many different causes to make use of Good Lock on a Samsung Galaxy machine. The app is break up into two tabs, Make Up and Life Up, which allow you to customise the look and accessibility of your telephone, respectively. They mix for round 20 completely different wrinkles that most likely make the Galaxy S24 sequence, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and even some finances Samsung telephones higher — it’s simply an odd place for Samsung to cover one thing vital to its Galaxy Z Flip 6.

In truth, I’ve used each Theme Park and LockStar from the Make Up part to make my latest Samsung units really feel a little bit bit much less generic. Good Lock even has an choice known as Edge Lighting Plus, which helps you to make notifications extra fascinating — even when Samsung has basically given up on curved shows. This isn’t even pertaining to the truth that the Life Up part provides choices for extra sophisticated routines, richer management over your telephone’s sound, or the power to make your telephone simpler to make use of with one hand.

Positive, you possibly can argue that any of those Good Lock options I’ve talked about deserves to be a part of Samsung’s commonplace settings menu. I most likely would agree — like I mentioned, I exploit a few of them myself. I’m simply saying that, to me, entry to apps on the Flex Window shouldn’t contain a visit to the Galaxy Retailer (or, lengthy overdue, the Play Retailer).

And, I do know, if Samsung’s quirky setup have been the one recreation on the town, I wouldn’t have as a lot room to complain. Good Lock would nonetheless be an additional hoop to leap via, however what different choice would I’ve? The issue is, it’s not the one choice — there’s one other flip telephone in the marketplace that handles its cowl display precisely as I believe Samsung ought to, and it’s known as the Motorola Razr Plus.

Motorola places all its cowl display settings in a single easy-to-access place, placing your panels, most well-liked music participant, and even creator-specific instruments on one display. Proper in the course of that in depth menu of settings is a crucial button labeled App Settings. It does precisely what you suppose it ought to — offer you entry to which apps you wish to see in your cowl display app drawer and which of them you’d relatively save for the inner show. There’s no experimental options menu to dig via, neither is there an additional app to obtain, only a fast set of toggles for each app already in your telephone.

If Samsung needs to make its Flex Window simpler and, by extension, extra pleasant to make use of, it ought to observe Motorola’s lead. The Razr Plus’ cowl display is simply as quirky — apps have to search out their method round a pair of digital camera cutouts relatively than match inside an oddly formed panel — but Motorola is prepared to present them free rein of the house. The Batwing model even programmed a toggle to power apps above the cameras ought to it’s worthwhile to entry the buttons they’d usually block. It’s not an ideal answer, but it simply beats Samsung’s inflexibility.

Sadly, I get the sinking feeling that Samsung will follow its weapons, not less than for a bit longer. It’s already been gradual to make vital adjustments to its foldable telephones over time as a result of most individuals nonetheless haven’t used one, so I’d be shocked to see it take the initiative to repair one thing that isn’t technically damaged — or till Apple lastly jumps into the house. Till it does, although, I’ll attain for the Motorola Razr Plus at any probability.