Key Takeaways
1. Now Bar Enhances Lock Screen: Introduces a pill-shaped UI element for quick access to activities like music playback and timers, improving productivity without unlocking the device.
2. Vertical App Drawer for Quicker Navigation: Features a new vertical app drawer that allows smooth scrolling and quick access to apps, with an option to revert to the old layout.
3. Updated Quick Settings Panel: Revamped design separates notifications and Quick Settings, enhancing user-friendliness and aesthetics, with a new volume slider and dark mode shortcuts.
4. Enhanced Customizations: Improved home screen customization options, including flexible app arrangements, new widgets, and personalized lock screen features with adjustable clocks and shortcuts.
5. Sleek Camera App: A cleaner interface with easier access to controls, relocated camera modes, and the new “Audio playback” feature for recording videos with background music.
I can’t recall the last time I felt this thrilled about a software update, but One UI 7 has me eagerly anticipating its launch. Samsung has loaded this update with remarkable enhancements, fresh designs, and powerful new features that are making me — along with millions of other Galaxy users — anxious for the rollout.
Five features that make One UI 7 a must-have update
1. Now Bar enhances the lock screen
One UI 7 brings us Now Bar, the most significant visual upgrade to the latest software. It’s a pill-shaped UI element located at the bottom of the lock screen, granting quick access to current activities, including music playback, timers, and navigation updates. Tapping on it reveals more details and extra controls.
This presents a unique alternative to Apple’s Dynamic Island, while many other brands have merely imitated Apple’s feature with little alteration. This illustrates why Samsung stands out among other Android brands in terms of software. Now Bar not only looks visually stunning but also enhances productivity by allowing users to access key information without having to unlock their device.
Vertical app drawer for quicker navigation
Samsung has at last rolled out a vertical app drawer, a highly anticipated feature that makes scrolling through apps way smoother and faster. Instead of flipping through multiple pages, you can now scroll in one fluid motion, with a sidebar that allows you to jump to specific letters for even quicker app access.
If you’re fond of the old layout, no stress — you can revert back whenever you want. However, given how intuitive and seamless this new system feels, I doubt many will want to go back.
To enable the vertical app drawer, open the app drawer, tap the three-dot icon in the bottom right corner, and select Sort. Then, choose Alphabetical order to activate vertical scrolling.
Updated Quick Settings panel for simplified access
The Quick Settings panel is undergoing a significant makeover with One UI 7, making it more user-friendly and visually appealing. The Quick Settings and notifications panels have been separated, and how you access them is determined by which side of the device you swipe from: swiping down from the left side reveals the notification panel, while swiping down from the right opens Quick Settings. This is similar to what many Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Realme already offer, but One UI 7 has more to it.
The new Quick Settings panel is more aesthetically pleasing and easier to navigate. Although the number of toggles has been reduced, you can quickly expand them by swiping down. Additionally, there’s a new volume slider along with shortcuts for switching sound profiles and enabling dark mode.
Overall, the revamped Quick Settings panel appears much more polished, making it quicker and more convenient to access controls.
Enhanced customizations for a personal touch
Customization has always been a core aspect of One UI, and it is getting significantly better with One UI 7. The Home Up module (previously part of the Good Lock app) is now integrated into One UI Home, which means users no longer need a separate app to access advanced home screen customization options.
You can arrange apps at will, stepping away from typical grid layouts. You can also place stickers on the home screen for a more unique look.
There are also various new widgets, with the ability to preview different formats before adding them to the home screen. One UI 7 also lets you combine multiple widgets into a single widget space for improved organization and to reduce clutter.
The lock screen now offers even more customization options. One UI 7 introduces new clock styles with adjustable fonts and colors. Users can also modify the clock position and add extra widgets. The two shortcut icons at the bottom can now be tailored, making the lock screen both more personalized and functional.
A sleek Camera app
The Camera app in One UI 7 appears much cleaner and gives easier access to controls. The top menu has fewer options, while the remaining controls are concealed within an expandable button.
Camera modes have been relocated below the shutter button, simplifying the switch between photo, video, and other modes. A notable addition is the zoom slider in Pro Video mode.
Samsung has also introduced an “Audio playback” feature that allows users to record videos while playing music in the background. This could be particularly handy for creating dance or lip-sync videos.
Which feature of One UI 7 are you most looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Also, make sure to check the One UI section for the latest rollout updates, and follow our Telegram channel and subscribe to our free newsletter for your daily tech news.
