Google strikes again!

So, on my Android phone....

There's a screenful of app icons.  Actually, multiple such screens.

Across the bottom is a single row of app icons shared by all screens.  (I don't know what this is called, or maybe I could DuckDuckGo a solution to today's idiocy.)

Up until this afternoon, that row always contained the same five apps, with no apparent way to change them: Phone, Text, Gmail, Chrome, Camera.

Well.

As of this afternoon, the two on the left have gone dynamic, and I see no way to control what apps are there.  Very often, they're two of the same doggone thing.

Hello?  Mr. Google?  I would very much like to have Phone and Text in fixed locations again.  I don't like to have my apps rearranged at random.

Update:  While there doesn't appear to be any way to turn off this new "feature", I found what might be a long-term workaround.  For each unwanted app suggestion, press, hold, drag toward the top, and drag to "Don't suggest this app."  Repeat until something you want to keep turns up, then press, hold, and pin.  Maybe this will result in "Phone" and "Text" staying put here they used to be.

Also... just a little note to the loose cannons at Google?  Old people may be using Android phones.  They may not be able to deal with icons randomly moving around, disappearing from the visible menu, and so on.  This is dangerous.  If some oldster has an emergency and can't call for help because some idiotic software "feature" unexpectedly hid both of the icons used for initiating communication, I gorr-an-double-damn-tee the ambulance chasers will be lined up and drooling.

Comments

[Rob]

As I recall I could change them but once I put them there they stayed, no help with your problem I'm afraid. If it was my phone I'd arrange the bottom icons to how I wanted them then turn the phone off. I'd hope it fixed itself when I turned the phone back on.

Mine didn't move today... Good luck!