Help Can there be more than three icons on the bottom row?

[JohnJSal]

Aside from the "Apps" icon, there only seems to be three app icons on the bottom of the Home screen in all the videos I watch. Is it possible to have more, or is three the limit? Can the Apps icon be removed and replaced with something else, or is it permanent?

Also, another difference I've seen (I'm used to the Sense UI) is that a lot of the bottom of the screen (the app icons, the dots for the different panels) seems to take up a lot of space, so that only the upper half of the screen is scrollable. There still seems to be the same amount of space in this area (four rows to customize), but it seems like a lot of space is being unused at the bottom. Is it possible to change any of this, or is that just how much space you have to work with?

Thanks.

 

[DragonSlayer95]

I haven't been keeping up with the s4...not so much impressed with it

But we may not know about this until it's actually released and someone can get hands on and see if it's changeable or not :smokingsomb:

 

[XplosiV]

It's almost a given that alternative launchers will work on the S4, so check out free versions of home replacements like, Nova, Apex, Next etc.

 

[barryl85]

I've only seen pictures with 5 icons at the bottom, same icons that are present on the Galaxy S3

 

[Tommydaniel]

Aside from the "Apps" icon, there only seems to be three app icons on the bottom of the Home screen in all the videos I watch. Is it possible to have more, or is three the limit? Can the Apps icon be removed and replaced with something else, or is it permanent?

Also, another difference I've seen (I'm used to the Sense UI) is that a lot of the bottom of the screen (the app icons, the dots for the different panels) seems to take up a lot of space, so that only the upper half of the screen is scrollable. There still seems to be the same amount of space in this area (four rows to customize), but it seems like a lot of space is being unused at the bottom. Is it possible to change any of this, or is that just how much space you have to work with?

Thanks.

Every photo and video I have seen has showed 4 + the app drawer icon.

 

[JohnJSal]

Every photo and video I have seen has showed 4 + the app drawer icon.

Hmm, good to know! I'm pretty sure I saw three icons, but it's nice to know there can be four.

 

[crabman]

The apps can be moved and/or changed and you can of course install an alternate launcher. There is no reason not to expect a mod to be available to change the default grid and so on as it was with all previous touchwiz releases since root has been attained. This can allow for a sixth icon if you choose.

At any rate the stock touchwiz allows up to 4 apps plus drawer.

 

[JohnJSal]

The apps can be moved and/or changed and you can of course install an alternate launcher. There is no reason not to expect a mod to be available to change the default grid and so on as it was with all previous touchwiz releases since root has been attained. This can allow for a sixth icon if you choose.

At any rate the stock touchwiz allows up to 4 apps plus drawer.

Can all of these things be changed without rooting? Or does installing an alternate launcher require rooting?

 

[crabman]

Yes, you can switch/move/change them up to a max of 4 apps plus drawer and install alternative launchers without rooting. You would need to root if you wished to change the grid, go to a 6 icon row and that sort of thing.

 

[Scootmien]

JohnJSal, pretty much every launcher will allow you to add more icons into the dock (six or seven etc) and change the screen grid size to add in extra rows and columns. All that can be done without rooting the phone. I don't like Touchwiz so I have Nova Launcher Prime installed on my Galaxy S2 and HTC One. The S2 is rooted, the HTC isn't (for the moment)

 

[JohnJSal]

Just to be clear, if I use an alternate launcher without rooting, will I be able to change how much of the screen will be used for icons/widgets? Because the panel dots and launcher bar seem to take up half the screen.

 

[Scootmien]

Just to be clear, if I use an alternate launcher without rooting, will I be able to change how much of the screen will be used for icons/widgets? Because the panel dots and launcher bar seem to take up half the screen.

Try a few different ones. Nova Prime, the one I use allows me to remove the panel dots and therefore when I add in another row, the rows can be spaced out further down the screen than previously. Quite a few launchers will allow you to adjust the dock size. Nova Prime does but it will only adjust by arbitrary amounts; some others allow more of a granular control.

There is a launcher called Lightning Launcher that allows you to add in apps that aren't tied to a grid size, so absolutely free in their placement (overlapping, right up against each other and custom sizes for instance). I found it a pig to work with though.

Apex gives you quite a bit of control over what you are asking, JohnJSal. I've just downloaded it and had a look.

 

[crabman]

Yep, best to try several of the big names and stick with the one that suits you if you don't like touchwiz. It sounds like you may not be that familiar with android so I do have one tip you might not be aware of... You should always have an alternative launcher installed even if you don't wish to use it. If you only have one and that one gets an error you are dead. On the other hand if you have more than one the OS will automatically load another one as an alternative and you can be up an running again immediately till you sort out what went wrong with your primary launcher or at least back up your goodies before a reset. You can have any number of launchers installed and simply set your primary as default.

 

[trparky]

Apex Launcher is one of the best third-party launchers out there. Stable, no bugs, works very well. Very customizable too.

 

[JohnJSal]

Yep, best to try several of the big names and stick with the one that suits you if you don't like touchwiz. It sounds like you may not be that familiar with android so I do have one tip you might not be aware of... You should always have an alternative launcher installed even if you don't wish to use it. If you only have one and that one gets an error you are dead. On the other hand if you have more than one the OS will automatically load another one as an alternative and you can be up an running again immediately till you sort out what went wrong with your primary launcher or at least back up your goodies before a reset. You can have any number of launchers installed and simply set your primary as default.

I've used Android for a few years, but I don't really get into the details of it. I've only had HTC phones, so all I've ever used is Sense. I like it, but then again I don't know what else I'm missing. I'm considering getting a GS4, and I'm not sure if I'm crazy about TouchWiz. I'll use it for a while, but it's nice to know I have options to change it all without having to root.

 

[crabman]

Touchwiz has a lot of useless features but also some nifty tricks. I hated the older versions of it but they have upped their game pretty hard and with the mod to adjust the grid size I like it now. I also use apex which I switch to sometimes to break up the monotony. Cant guess which way you might go, if you are going to stay unrooted you will for sure have more options for layout with an alternative launcher.

 

[JohnJSal]

Touchwiz has a lot of useless features but also some nifty tricks. I hated the older versions of it but they have upped their game pretty hard and with the mod to adjust the grid size I like it now. I also use apex which I switch to sometimes to break up the monotony. Cant guess which way you might go, if you are going to stay unrooted you will for sure have more options for layout with an alternative launcher.

It will either be the GS4 or the HTC One, and perhaps Nova Prime since it seems pretty highly rated. But then again, I might start trying a bunch of different launchers now that I know a little more about them.