Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Mobile
  4. News

One UI 7 might be Samsung’s biggest smartphone update in years

Add as a preferred source on Google
A person using the S Pen stylus with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It’s too early to know what Samsung will offer in its upcoming One UI 7 smartphone update. However, at least one informed leaker suggests the update could be significant. Ice Universe posted on X (formerly Twitter) saying that Samsung’s One UI 7 update could be the most significant change in the history of One UI.

While it’s not a substantial leak, we might hear more about this from Ice Universe in the upcoming days and weeks — or at least we can hope.

Recommended Videos

Regardless, now is an excellent time to consider what Samsung might do with One UI 7 when it’s finally released. The update is expected to be built on top of Google’s upcoming Android 15 OS system, which will likely be released later this year or early in 2025.

Today's leak: One UI 7 may be the most changed version in the history of One UI. The icon is redrawn.

— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) July 16, 2024

Samsung has done little to change One UI in recent years. The only significant change for One UI 6 was the introduction of the Quick Panel layout in 2023. Samsung is likely aware of its users’ high expectations for One UI 7, including visual improvements and enhanced performance. While not as exciting as a redesigned interface or improved system speed, better security might also be a priority.

Beyond this, anything that makes One UI more straightforward and intuitive would be welcome. A new One UI version should also improve battery life.

Android 15 offers many new features for users to get excited about. These include easier Bluetooth controls, partial screen sharing, a notification cooldown, and more. Better PDF experiences, a more reliable NFC, and satellite connectivity are also expected.

Google devices will likely receive Android 15 first, although Samsung users could soon follow, assuming the company has One UI 7 ready. Stay tuned.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Google starts testing Gmail Live, its new voice search tool for your inbox
The feature lets you ask questions about your inbox with your voice and is set to roll out later this summer.
Gmail Live screenshot on gradient background

At I/O this year, Google showcased Gmail Live, a new Gemini-powered feature that lets users search their inbox using their voice instead of typing. The feature has now moved into testing, with 9to5Google reporting that it's rolling out to a small group of Android and iOS users this week.

How Gmail Live works

Read more
Apple and Google sat for discussions to unlock 50W wireless charging for smartphones
Wireless Charger

The next major leap in wireless charging may not come from a flashy smartphone launch, but from behind closed doors where some of the biggest names in the tech industry are working together, according to an ITHome report.

Apple, Google, Xiaomi, and several other leading technology companies recently gathered in Beijing for the Wireless Power Consortium's (WPC) Qi Off-cycle Meeting, where discussions centered around the upcoming Qi 50W wireless charging standard. The four-day event, hosted by Xiaomi, focused on refining technical specifications, testing prototype hardware, and ensuring devices from different brands can work seamlessly together.

Read more
Minimal Phone 2 looks like a deliberate antidote to doomscrolling
The coming phone leans on a keyboard, calmer software, and a smaller body to fight smartphone overload.
Electronics, Phone, Mobile Phone

Minimal Phone 2 has entered waitlist mode with a clear promise. Minimal says its next phone is coming soon with a smaller, more refined design, a better keyboard, an aluminum body, and improved software.

The first Minimal Phone already tested whether people wanted an Android device that slowed phone use down without cutting off everyday tools. Its e-paper screen and physical keyboard made endless feeds less comfortable, while keeping apps, messaging, payments, and other basics within reach.

Read more