I hope Samsung would not make the identical errors as Apple

If there’s one factor we all know for certain, 2024 has been fairly odd relating to software program updates. Google launched its new flagship lineup of telephones earlier than Android 15 was out, Apple introduced a bunch of options that will not arrive till at the very least March of subsequent 12 months, and we’re halfway via November with no signal of secure Android 15 for Samsung telephones. Nonetheless, with what little we learn about One UI 7, I am unable to assist however marvel if Samsung is following Apple’s instance in additional methods than one, and for higher or for worse.

For years, I abstained from even contemplating utilizing a Samsung telephone. I did not care how cool or “dependable” Samsung telephones have been as a result of the software program was simply so extremely terrible that it ruined the whole lot else for me. Nonetheless, that each one modified as soon as Samsung lastly moved away from TouchWiz in favor of One UI.

Not solely was TouchWiz packed to the gills with options, however there have been extra points than you may depend. I am truly grateful for the way unhealthy it was as a result of in any other case, I may not have loved the completely different choices from LG, Motorola, HTC, and Google. Heck, if it weren’t for Samsung, I may not even be sitting right here writing these phrases.

However, right here we’re and Samsung is gearing as much as launch its first beta for One UI 7. Though it has been a bit of over six years since One UI was initially unveiled, it shares one commonality with TouchWiz as Samsung nonetheless takes an “the whole lot however the kitchen sink” strategy to options.

I am not anticipating Samsung to essentially add any “game-changing” options to the combo, but it surely does appear as if a UI overhaul is in retailer. Apart from just a few variations right here and there, One UI has largely remained the identical since One UI 4 in 2021. This was primarily based on Android 12, which launched the Materials You design language.

Though Materials You arrived with One UI 4, it did not actually get totally applied till One UI 5.

Samsung’s implementation with One UI 4 was half-baked, to say the least, however the firm rectified these points with One UI 5. That places us at about two years of utilizing the identical common software program expertise, which means that we’re positively due for one thing new.

More often than not, I do not actually care about how the software program appears to be like on any telephone, not simply Samsung. Nonetheless, on condition that it is taken Samsung this lengthy to really launch the beta of One UI 7, I’ve grown a bit frightened that we could be in retailer for a little bit of a storm.

It actually wasn’t all that way back that Samsung was thought-about among the many worst corporations relating to software program updates. That is modified lately, with the most effective Samsung telephones receiving updates sooner than some other telephone in addition to Google’s Pixel.

I am unable to assist however really feel like there’s a bit of little bit of writing on the wall with the One UI 7 replace, contemplating the beta has already been delayed a number of occasions. And if it weren’t for just a few leaky taps, we would not have any concept what to anticipate.

That being mentioned, we’re more likely to see Samsung overhaul the whole lot and something, starting from icons and widgets to “smoother animations” and even a brand new Fast Settings panel. I’ve seen some options that Samsung is making an attempt to make One UI a bit extra like iOS, particularly relating to animations.

Whereas I agree that animations may very well be higher, I might actually care much less about whether or not the software program appears to be like just like the Android equal of an iPhone. Why? As a result of I am simply going to obtain Good Lock, just a few icon packs, and make my telephone look the best way I would like it to anyway.

No, the larger downside right here is that Samsung can be rumored to be taking one other web page out of Apple’s guide, but it surely’s not a great one. As an alternative of asserting options after they’re prepared, Samsung may announce its newest batch of options, solely to delay a few of them till One UI 7.1.

When Apple launched the iPhone 16 sequence, the corporate additionally leaned closely into the “Apple Intelligence” facet. After all, this was simply part of the corporate’s preliminary advertising and marketing push, however there was one downside — lots of these options weren’t out there but.

The truth is, there are some that we’re nonetheless ready for, as Picture Playground and ChatGPT integration with Siri is presently solely out there should you’re utilizing the iOS 18.2 beta. In the meantime, the actually cool options, comparable to Customized Responses and On-Display Consciousness, aren’t anticipated to reach till March 2025.

So with out even understanding the whole lot that Samsung has up its sleeve for brand new options, I am protecting my fingers crossed that it would not journey down this identical path. If we’re certainly getting an overhauled UI, that is loads for Samsung to hold its hat on and promote. Then, the corporate can correctly announce its AI options after they’re totally baked and prepared for primetime.

A few of the rumored AI options embrace issues comparable to “AI Notification,” which summarizes your notifications. It has additionally been mentioned that Samsung will introduce new choices for its present AI options, comparable to Sketch to Picture.

Given the fixed want for corporations to determine methods to get AI into headlines, I believe that Samsung will not take the reserved strategy. As an alternative, it’ll seemingly make the identical errors as Apple, which may very well be fairly comical if One UI finally ends up trying like iOS.

I haven’t got a crystal ball and might’t see what the longer term holds, so it is potential that I am utterly off base. Possibly Samsung delayed the discharge of One UI 7 in order that it might launch the whole lot directly. Or possibly the plan all alongside was to launch the ultimate model alongside the Galaxy S25, however the lack of transparency and communication has let our imaginations go wild.

On the identical time, I am a bit frightened that Samsung is about to revert again to its previous methods relating to software program updates. Samsung might attempt to do an excessive amount of, which might lead to delayed updates and half-baked guarantees.

Let’s simply hope it would not come to that and that that is only a blip on the radar.