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There was a time when each new Android launch introduced with it appreciable UI adjustments and have additions. As thrilling as that was, it did not result in a constant person expertise, so it is comprehensible that manufacturers have tried to deal with that space within the final three years. Samsung specifically would not make many adjustments to One UI, eschewing fixed change for familiarity.
That’s what makes the One UI 7 replace that rather more notable; that is Samsung’s largest UI overhaul shortly, and it delivers an general aesthetic that is cleaner, extra trendy, and with higher customizability than ever earlier than. Samsung clearly had points managing the dimensions of the adjustments — most of its flagships nonetheless have not picked up the Android 15-based replace — however it’s simple that One UI 7 heralds a brand new period of Samsung’s software program imaginative and prescient.
I began out with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 on the Galaxy S4, and used each subsequent model of Samsung’s interface launched during the last decade, together with all One UI iterations. Here’s what I consider One UI 7, and why I consider it’s a pivotal replace for Samsung’s gadgets.
One UI 7 will get a much-needed UI overhaul
Samsung overhauled the interface with One UI 7, and it’s a constructive transfer general. The interface now appears cleaner and has higher colours all through, and it’s cohesive. Samsung tweaked the design of the icons as effectively, and so they have higher gradation and look a bit extra elegant. There’s higher customizability on this space as effectively, with One UI 7 permitting you to alter the scale of icons and disable textual content labels (lastly).
Widgets are cleaner too, and the adjustments to the design make utilizing One UI 7 that rather more pleasing. That stated, Samsung maintained the appropriate stability; whereas the UI appears trendy, it is nonetheless instantly acquainted. Samsung did not make wholesale adjustments to the way you work together with the interface, as a substitute updating components that began exhibiting their age.
Some of the design tweaks are motivated by iOS, and there is no getting round that — most Android manufacturers are responsible of doing this. Having stated that, the implementation is kind of completely different to what you get on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and Samsung did a great job “borrowing” a few of these utilities and integrating them into its personal interface.
A smaller replace has to do with the battery; the icon within the standing bar has a cleaner pill-sized design, however what I like essentially the most is that it homes the share throughout the icon. This was a bugbear on One UI 6.1.1 as the share sat exterior the icon, so it is good to see Samsung making this transfer.
Another small tweak has to do with enlarged folders. This is one thing that ColorOS and MagicOS do rather well, and Samsung is now aiming to comply with swimsuit. With larger folders, you do not want to enter a folder to launch an app that is positioned inside, and it’s extremely handy.
There’s a brand new Game Booster that allows you to tweak settings in particular person titles to maximise effectivity or efficiency, and it makes a distinction. Galaxy AI continues to be a differentiator, and Samsung is constructing out an honest set of utilities on this space.
The UI has higher optimization, and that in turns means you get higher fluidity even on mid-range gadgets just like the Galaxy A56, the place this has been a relentless drawback with earlier iterations. That stated, it would not fairly have the identical stage of fluidity as ColorOS on the Find X8 Pro and even Xiaomi’s newest software program operating on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, however it’s a respectable change within the context of Samsung telephones.
One UI 7 has a cut up notification pane
The largest distinction in One UI 7 has to do with the notification pane; Samsung now makes use of a cut up shade with the toggles sitting on one aspect, and the notifications on the opposite. This is much like iOS’ Control Center, and most Chinese manufacturers are additionally utilizing the same system. The pane is not absolutely opaque, and it does a great job highlighting the background colours.
Thankfully, you may swap again to a unified pane if that is what you favor. While that is what I normally do on most Android telephones, I discovered myself liking the cut up pane fairly a bit; you get a higher variety of controls within the toggles part, and a pull-down gesture wherever on the display surfaces the notification shade — to get to the toggles, you will want to drag down from the highest proper nook.
The cut up pane reveals quantity management along with the usual brightness slider, and also you get the same old good house machine controls and Modes (what Routines is now dubbed). You can swap between notifications and toggles by swiping proper and left, and Samsung did all the appropriate issues on this regard.
Samsung truly added a vertically-scrolling app drawer
What I like essentially the most about One UI 7 is the introduction of a vertically-scrolling app drawer. Samsung was the one holdout to nonetheless use a horizontal app drawer, and it was continually irritating at any time when I used considered one of its telephones. I had to make use of Good Lock to modify to a vertically-scrolling drawer, and that was normally one of many first issues I modified on Samsung’s gadgets.
With One UI 7 although, you needn’t go that route; the drawer scrolls vertically as customary, and it’s a minor change that makes an enormous distinction in usability — notably in case you’re like me and have loads of apps put in. Another constructive change is the positioning of the search bar throughout the drawer; it’s now positioned on the backside, and that makes it simpler to drag up.
Now Bar offers contextual data in One UI 7
Just like each different producer, Samsung is emulating iOS’ Dynamic Island, however as a result of the Korean model must be completely different, its implementation is not like that of some other machine. The function is dubbed Now Bar, and is mainly reveals issues like media controls, timer, recorder, navigation, and different ongoing actions in a pill-sized field that sits on the backside of the lock display.
The thought is that you may work together with these actions with out having to wake the display, and I used it to good impact to manage music playback in YouTube Music. Samsung has a secondary choice referred to as Live Notifications that sit within the standing bar, and so they do the same factor — you may management music playback and different actions by deciding on the icon.
Unlike most gadgets, these notifications aren’t centered across the digicam cutout, however sit to a aspect within the standing bar. ColorOS does a greater job dealing with these notifications, and Samsung must tweak the design a bit bit on this space.
The Overview menu is a lot better in One UI 7
Samsung additionally modified the overview menu, and it has a lot better usability. Instead of 1 card dominating the view, you get a rolodex-like design that allows you to preview playing cards within the background, and it’s a much-needed change. The scrolling motion when going via the recents menu is smoother as effectively.
Thankfully, Samsung hasn’t modified the choice to launch split-screen mode by way of the Overview menu. You can nonetheless press on an app icon and select to enter split-screen mode effortlessly, and that is one other small space the place One UI has a bonus over its Android rivals.
One UI 7 will get a brand-new digicam interface
Along with the remainder of the interface, Samsung cleaned up the digicam UI, and it’s a lot better organized. The taking pictures modes have been moved to the underside of the viewfinder, and it is simpler to modify between modes along with your thumb. Most of the toggles and filters are hidden behind a settings button, and this ensures the interface is not wherever as cluttered.
Alongside higher controls, you get good modifying instruments, and like each different model, Samsung is leveraging AI to be the differentiator.
Better battery controls, larger drain
I used the One UI 7 beta builds up to now, and there was a noticeable lower in battery life over One UI 6.1.1 on the S24+. This remains to be the case after I used the steady One UI 7 construct on the Galaxy A56; the cellphone did not final fairly so long as its quick rivals with equal batteries, so it is clear that Samsung must do further tweaks to ship higher battery effectivity.
Samsung lags behind each different Android model relating to battery tech, each by way of charging and willingness to modify to silicon-carbide tech to ship higher density. But what I like is that battery protections are higher in One UI 7; now you can set a charging restrict and customise it between 80% to 95%, providing you with a lot higher flexibility.
One UI 7 is slowly making its strategy to the very best Samsung telephones
Samsung is normally good with updates, however that simply hasn’t been the case with One UI 7. As of April 9, my Galaxy S24+ nonetheless hasn’t picked up the steady One UI 7 construct, and it’s the solely 2024 flagship to not make the swap to Android 15. Samsung clearly had challenges in getting the Android 15 construct out the door, and it’ll solely take longer for the model’s funds and mid-range gadgets to modify to the newest model of Android.
With Google accelerating the Android 16 launch, Samsung’s delay means most of its gadgets will decide up Android 15 simply as the subsequent model of Android turns into out there.
One UI 7 is a good general replace
The definition of a great replace is when a model introduces significant additions whereas nonetheless retaining the core feature-set, and Samsung did an important job nailing that stability with One UI 7. The adjustments to the design convey a stage of vibrancy and dynamism to the interface, and it has higher fluidity on mid-range gadgets.
The fundamentals are unchanged, so in case you’re used to name recording within the dialer, Samsung Internet, Samsung Messages, and the model’s distinctive customization choices, these are nonetheless simply pretty much as good as earlier iterations of the interface. Ultimately, the one drawback with One UI 7 is simply how lengthy it’s taking to indicate up on the very best Samsung telephones. But having used it for some time now, I can say that it’s well worth the wait.
