Hey Google, stop being so stubborn with the Pixel home screen!

In the realm of smartphones, Google’s Pixel lineup stands out, particularly for its user-centric software experience.

While I previously contended that Samsung’s One UI 7 had taken the lead, the latest updates in Android 16 for the Pixel 10 Pro XL have brought Google back to the forefront. In a world where Apple’s iOS 18 struggles to compete, the Pixel series shines with its innovative offerings.

This perspective isn’t just mine; many Android enthusiasts echo the sentiment that the Pixel 10 series epitomizes software excellence.

Google’s software design is distinguished by its elegance, user-friendliness, and minimal pre-installed bloatware, which can be effortlessly uninstalled. The seamless integration of Google’s apps enhances the overall experience for users reliant on Google services.

Combined with prompt system updates, monthly security patches, and an impressive seven-year software support promise, the Pixel offering is indeed appealing.

Despite these advantages, there’s one glaring aspect where Google seems to falter: the home screen design. One would expect a company of Google’s stature to prioritize the first interaction users have upon unlocking their device; unfortunately, this is not the case.

Four primary frustrations emerge whenever I use a Pixel phone, leading me to contemplate a long-term switch.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

What if I don’t want to glance?

Since the introduction of the Pixel 2 series, Google has included a widget known as ‘At a Glance.’

This widget offers key information with minimal effort—usually the date and current weather. Tapping it brings up the corresponding app.

Additionally, it provides updates on calendars, traffic, flight statuses, and various alerts. It’s an undeniably useful feature.

My issue with At a Glance isn’t the data it presents or its functionality (despite important details frequently getting truncated). It’s the frustrating reality that you cannot remove it. No matter what, it remains a fixture on your home screen, stubbornly unmovable.

Toggling ‘Use At a Glance’ merely reduces it to a basic date display, stripping it of its functionality.

Foundry

The situation aggravates when the widget seemingly occupies the entire top section of the screen, even though it fails to utilize the right side. At a Glance has not received a visual uplift in eight years, making it appear quite outdated.

The simplest fix? Downloading an alternative launcher, which changes more than just the home screen, detracting from the overall Pixel software experience.

Foundry

Stop the search

Google’s identity is heavily tied to its search capabilities, which is evident every time you unlock a Pixel device.

This explains the large search bar occupying the bottom of the screen. While it’s essential for Google to promote its search engine, how often are users going to switch from Google to less popular alternatives?

Over my experience with both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and its successor, the 10 Pro XL, I can confidently say I’ve yet to intentionally utilize the search bar. However, given its prime location, I’ve inadvertently pressed it more than once.

Foundry

It’s evident that Google has minimal concern for the search bar. Adding shortcuts to new features is a welcome touch, but tapping the microphone still activates Google Assistant instead of the more sophisticated AI Mode. This oversight exemplifies a lack of foresight.

Like At a Glance, the search bar is entirely fixed in position and non-resizable, with customization options exclusively limited to themes.

Lamentable labelling

App labels can be incredibly beneficial, especially if users are trying to locate unfamiliar applications or organizing them in an alphabetical drawer. However, their relevance fades on the home screen.

On this screen, users typically only place frequently accessed apps. They’ve likely seen the icons numerous times, so the labels fall short of necessity.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Interestingly, Google has already acknowledged the redundancy of labels in the app dock, so why should there be a different standard for the home screen? Users deserve the option to either keep or remove labels!

My criticisms wouldn’t be so pronounced if users had the opportunity to fill the home screen with beautifully crafted first-party widgets. Unfortunately, this is far from reality.

While the Pixel series offers widgets, they often come off as functional rather than aesthetic. Managing calendars, checking weather, or tracking steps is straightforward, but they lack visual appeal and fail to harmonize with both app icons and the persistent At a Glance.

Foundry

In comparison, Samsung provides an array of appealing widgets right out of the box, which only underscores Google’s shortfall in this area. While third-party applications can bridge the gap, this shouldn’t be a necessity.

This deficiency applies to all the issues highlighted throughout this article. With a Samsung Galaxy device running One UI 7 or 8, these frustrations simply don’t exist.

Although I still hold a slight preference for the Pixel overall, Google’s commitment to personalization through a lackluster home screen experience is an area needing considerable improvement.