One UI 8 is arriving sooner than expected, with reports suggesting Samsung will jump straight to it instead of a One UI 7.1 update. We’ve already covered some of the expected features, many of which will be derived from Android 16. With Samsung reportedly already working on its Android 16-based skin, here are some features we’d love to see in One UI 8.
Features We’d Love to See on One UI 8
One UI has long been one of the most feature-packed Android skins, and there’s a reason people stick with Samsung phones—or find it hard to switch. It just feels right. One UI 7 took things up a notch with smoother animations, fresh icons, a redesigned quick settings panel, new Galaxy AI features, and additions like Now Bar and Now Brief.
But Samsung isn’t done yet. I’m sure One UI 8 will bring some exciting new stuff. Meanwhile, here are some features we’d love to see to make it an even more complete Android experience.
1. Customizable App Icons Throughout
While One UI 7 gives a fresh look to system app icons, it still lacks comprehensive icon customization. We’d like Samsung to allow users to fully customize app icons in One UI 8.
Take OxygenOS 15, for example, which lets you customize the icon pack from built-in options and also use third-party icon packs. We’d also like to see the ability to change individual app icons, along with effects like colors, shapes, and styles, to fit personal preferences.
2. Contextual App Suggestions
One UI has a fairly basic app drawer. Unlike Google’s Pixel UI, it doesn’t offer contextual app suggestions. For example, if your phone recognizes your usage patterns, it could predict that you’d likely open the Samsung Health app in the morning to check your sleep data or that you’d want to open Spotify after connecting to your Galaxy Buds. These apps could then be automatically suggested at the top of the app drawer.
We’d love to see One UI 8 introduce adaptive app suggestions based on the time of day, location, or current activity. Not only would this save time, but it would also make your phone a little smarter.
3. A Dedicated App Locker
Samsung’s Secure Folder has been around for a while, offering a hidden, password-protected space where you can clone and lock apps. Anything you do inside stays isolated from the main app. You can run a separate version of Instagram, Photos, Chrome, or any other app in this space without anyone knowing. While it’s great for privacy, it’s not a true app locker.
A simple app lock that lets you secure specific apps with a passcode or biometrics would be a great addition to One UI 8. People have been asking for this feature for a long time, and I believe this could finally be the perfect time for Samsung to add one.
4. Lock Screen Depth Effect
Apple popularized the depth effect on lock screen wallpapers with iOS 16. Since then, many Android devices, including Xiaomi and OnePlus phones, have adopted the feature, making it familiar in the Android space.
While One UI 7 introduces new lock screen customization options, and you can add extra elements using the Lock Star module in Good Lock, a dedicated depth effect or some form of 3D effect for the lock screen would make it feel more immersive and premium.
5. Cleaner Quick Settings Panel
One UI 7 lets you customize the quick settings panel—you can rearrange controls, tweak brightness and volume sliders, and more. However, Smart View and Device Settings take up space even if you never use them, and frustratingly, they can’t be removed. This has been a common complaint from many users.
So yes, we’d love to see a fully customizable quick settings panel in One UI 8, where you can remove unwanted elements and keep only what you actually use.
6. Network Speed Indicator
Remember how I mentioned earlier that One UI is one of the most feature-packed smartphone UIs? Well, it still misses one major thing—a network speed indicator. I’ve always used this feature on Xiaomi and OnePlus phones, where I could see my current internet speed in the status bar. It’s a small but useful addition that helps me monitor my data connection in real time.
For some reason, Samsung still hasn’t added this to One UI, forcing users to rely on third-party apps. So yes, Samsung, please give us this basic feature with One UI 8!
7. New Fingerprint Animations
You can customize your lock screen, always-on display, quick settings panel, and even overall device animations—but there’s still no way to change the fingerprint animation. Brands like Vivo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi let you pick from different fingerprint effects, which is a nice touch for people who love customizing their phone’s look and feel. It’d be great to see something similar in One UI.
8. Gallery Sync to Google Photos
I usually prefer Samsung’s Gallery app over Google Photos because of its cleaner UI, Gallery Lab features, and extra editing options like Generative Edit. But there’s one big issue—while all my photos are backed up to Google Photos, the Samsung Gallery app doesn’t show them. It only displays local photos, which feels like a missed opportunity.
Samsung Gallery only syncs with the less popular OneDrive. Why not embrace Google Photos, especially since OnePlus already does? As a key Google partner, Samsung should offer this direct syncing option – many users would appreciate it!
9. A Better Bixby Or No Bixby At All
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series comes with Gemini as the default assistant, but Bixby is still around. That said, Bixby got some solid upgrades—new design, better AI, and deeper integration with Samsung’s ecosystem. It can now handle phone actions, give step-by-step instructions, and even understand context. Plus, it works smoothly with Samsung apps like Calendar, Clock, and Reminders.
But let’s be real—Bixby still can’t match Gemini when it comes to general knowledge, conversations, or Google integration. Constantly switching between the two can get annoying. At this point, either make Bixby way better or just get rid of it altogether—especially with all the extra bloat it brings.
10. Also, Faster Updates
One UI 7 revealed Samsung’s slower side. Despite promising 7 years of updates for the Galaxy S24 series, “fast updates” weren’t part of the deal. Many users are still waiting for the stable One UI 7 update due to constant delays. Hopefully, One UI 8 not only speeds things up but also makes better use of the seamless updates introduced with S25.
When Will Samsung Roll Out One UI 8?
Rumors say Samsung will skip the incremental One UI 7.1 update and go straight to One UI 8. Unlike its predecessor, this update is expected to stay on track with Android 16’s release schedule.
Right now, Android 16 is in beta on Google Pixel devices and should hit stable release after April 2025. If Samsung follows its usual pattern, One UI 8 could start rolling out by late 2025—probably around October, just like One UI 6 did.
