I complained about its omission in our recent Galaxy S24 Ultra review, and it seems that Samsung may finally add it to an upcoming software update. I am, of course, talking about the option to have a vertically scrolling app drawer on your Galaxy smartphone. This is Samsung, which means it's not quite as straightforward an addition as it might seem. Naturally.
It Is coming…
Via an update to Samsung's Good Lock app which may roll out when One UI 6.1.1 is released which we think might be around the time that the company unveils the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 sometime during July.
According to a post on one of Samsung's Community threads (via @theonecid on X), the Home Up section of the Good Lock app will be able to switch from a horizontal scrolling app drawer to one that scrolls vertically. One of the advantages of having the option of a vertical app drawer is that it's easier and quicker to access apps thanks to the apps being able to scroll with the momentum given by swiping a finger up or down the screen.
“Hello Customer, This is the Good Lock support Team.
In the case of the Home Up apps list, we are preparing to provide this feature in One UI 6.1.1.
However, please understand that the support schedule may change in unavoidable cases.
Thank you for using Home Up and for your interest.”
Good Lock Support, Samsung Community Thread
There's Bad News…
If the Good Lock app gets updated with the vertical app drawer in time for One UI 6.1.1, we will have to wait for the launch event of the new Galaxy Z foldable to get our hands on it. The good news is that it will be embedded in the Good Lock app which you can update via the Galaxy Store which means we might not have to wait for a software update to One UI 6.1.1.
If we do have to wait for the One UI 6.1.1 update to roll out to our phones to get access to the vertical app drawer, we'll likely have to wait until near the end of 2024. And that's only if you've got a recent Samsung Galaxy handset. Those with older models will probably have to wait a little while longer.
And, of course, the thread post includes the inevitable disclaimer that the feature might not arrive according to the estimated time given. Depending on Samsung's whim, it might be delayed, put on hold, or even canceled.
Why Has It Taken So Long?
Why it's taken Samsung so long to give us the choice of using a vertical or horizontal app drawer is anyone's guess. The Korean company doesn't take making decisions lightly; no doubt there were numerous meetings about offering the capability via the Good Lock app.
Hopefully, the addition of the feature isn't delayed or cancelled and we can get back to complaining about other tiny annoyances on our Samsung handsets. Is a vertically scrolling app drawer something you've been waiting for on your Samsung phone?
