14 DAY TRIAL // The Galaxy S8 marked the introduction of many new features on Samsung’s lineup of flagship smartphones, including the virtual assistant Bixby and a display that doesn’t leave room for much else on the front panel.
Indeed, the Infinity Display on the Galaxy S8 allowed the South Korean smartphone maker to remove the physical home button from the front panel and replace hardware or capacitive navigation buttons with on-screen ones.
The most prolific smartphones that use onboard navigation buttons are Google’s Pixel devices, which offer stock Android experience and thus feature a design that can’t be found on Samsung smartphones. Users who are keen on the design that Android offers can add an overlay to capacitive buttons on the Galaxy S8, to make them resemble the ones found on Pixel phones.
The third-party app doesn’t require root access
Samsung’s capacitive buttons don’t adhere to Android guidelines, but the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus do offer users the option to change their location and some of the actions assigned to buttons. But the actual design can’t be changed from Samsung’s settings menu. Still, a third-party overlay app posted on XDA forums allows users to give capacitive buttons a look just like on Pixel smartphones.
The app installs an overlay, which actually masks how the real buttons look underneath, but it doesn’t really replace them. In addition, when users tap on the buttons, the facade disappears for a second, as the overlay doesn’t actually cover up animations. It’s worth mentioning that the always-on home button on the lock screen still uses Samsung’s original design; it won’t be replaced by the third-party app.
The application requires users to reboot their phones upon installation; the same action must be taken when attempting to uninstall it. In addition, the app doesn’t have an icon in the app drawer, so it must be searched under the installed apps section in the Settings menu, carrying the “com.android.systemui.product.res.Overlay” name. Fortunately, the app doesn’t require the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus device to be rooted before installing it.
