At the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2024, many were expecting the official reveal of One UI 7. However, much to everyone’s surprise, no major showcase of One UI 7 took place. Samsung only hinted that the new update would bring a significant UI/UX overhaul, but the stable release is not coming anytime soon.
One UI 7 Release Timeline
While the beta for One UI 7 is said to roll out by the end of this year, the stable version will only arrive in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25 series. This means that if you’re hoping to see One UI 7 on devices like the Galaxy S24 (review) series, you’ll have to wait until next year for the stable version. Even the beta may be limited to certain regions.
Samsung One UI 7 Features and Changes
Despite the delay, we’ve seen some leaks and sneak peeks of One UI 7 in action. We can see a glimpse of what’s to come, though the final version could still look different. From these leaks, it’s clear that Samsung is gearing up for a significant redesign. Let’s dive into these changes.
But before we jump in, it’s worth noting that we already revealed most (if not all) of these features in our recent One UI 7 leak.
1. Split Quick Panel
Samsung has finally joined other Android OEMs in splitting the Control Center and Notification Panel in One UI 7. Now, swiping down from the right brings up the Control Center, while swiping from the left reveals the Notification Shade.
The Control Center itself has been revamped. The Quick Settings toggles, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sit at the top, with the Brightness slider—now smaller—at the bottom, accompanied by Auto Brightness and Dark Mode toggles.
One addition is a new Volume slider within the Control Center, and users can now add a Media Player widget directly there as well. You can rearrange or add toggles as you see fit. We already shared this in our recent One UI 7 leak.
There are rumors that Samsung might allow users to switch back to a unified Quick Panel, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. Aesthetically, everything has been rounded off—the Notification layout and the Quick Panel toggles now have soft, rounded corners.
2. New Battery Indicator
One UI 7 brings a fresh look to the battery indicator, now designed in a pill shape with the battery percentage displayed inside. This new pill-shaped icon follows the same rounded aesthetic seen in the revamped notification shade.
3. New Recents Page
Additionally, One UI 7 has a new recent app styles that resemble iOS. When you open the recent apps screen, a smooth animation brings the app you want to the front.
This style was previously available in the Home+ Good Lock module, but it’s now the default across One UI 7. The animations look neat and polished.
4. More Refined Finder UI
The Finder can now be added to the Quick Panel for easier access. The search bar has also been moved to the bottom for easier access.
5. New Camera UI
The camera app in One UI 7 has been redesigned for better accessibility. All the buttons that were previously at the top, like for 12MP, flash, timer, and aspect ratio, have been moved to a grid near the bottom. You’ll now find these features near the zoom levels on the right side, accessible with a tap.
All the different camera modes, such as Photo, Portrait, and Video, have also been relocated to the bottom, making it easier to switch between them. The shutter button is now sandwiched to the center.
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6. Gallery App Changes
The menu icons at the bottom of the Gallery app have been improved in One UI 7. Previously, you only had text options like Pictures, Albums, Stories, and Menu.
Now, these options are more evenly spaced out, and each one comes with its own icon alongside the text. Further, leaks suggest that Samsung will be adding some AI search features to the Gallery app in the final version of One UI 7.
7. New App Icons
The app icons in One UI 7 have undergone significant changes. Icons for apps like Contacts, Gallery, Camera, Phone, Messages, Galaxy Store, and Settings have all been redesigned. Samsung seems to be moving toward a 3D-like design for some apps, departing from the previous flat look.
8. Frosted Glass Blur in Widgets
One UI 7 will also bring a blur effect in widgets, similar to a frosted glass-like appearance. This blur will likely apply to all first-party widgets. You can see the clock and the calender widgets with that effect below.
9. Expandable Pill (Live Activities)
One UI 7 updates the pill for live activities. Previously, this pill would take you directly to the app, but now, when you tap on it, it opens as a small rectangular pop-up.
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10. More Blur and Smoother Animations
According to those who’ve tried One UI 7, animations are now much smoother. There’s improved wallpaper scaling and Gaussian blur effects when opening and closing apps. The frosted glass blur is applied to widgets and various elements throughout the interface.
Users who have experienced One UI 7 report that it is a noticeable upgrade from One UI 6.1, with animation quality that is more comparable to iOS 18. This is a major good news for Samsung users, as they’ve been long complaining about the animations on One UI.
What’s Next for One UI 7?
So, that’s pretty much it. There’s a slightly revamped Settings app and a few other minor changes. We will see more changes coming to One UI 7 once the Beta starts rolling out. As for the stable release, it won’t be coming on your Samsung phone until next year.
What are your thoughts on One UI 7? Do you like the changes? Let us know in the comments below.
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