Get ready for One UI 7. It’s going to be Samsung’s biggest update yet, kind of like what Apple did with iOS 18 and Nothing with their new OS 3.0. This update is based on the latest Android 15 and comes with a bunch of cool new features and a fresh look. I’ll tell you more about those in a bit. Oh, and I’ll also let you know when it’s coming out and which phones will get it.
Table of Contents
One UI 7: Release Date Confirmed
One UI 7’s beta testing was supposed to kick off in August but was ultimately delayed. Earlier in October, at its annual developer conference, Samsung announced that a stable One UI 7 build will launch alongside the Galaxy S25 series in early 2025, with a beta version arriving later this year.
While everyone expected it to arrive in October 2024, One UI 7 will now be released in January 2025 at Samsung’s annual Unpacked event. However, the betas may arrive before the end of this year.
One UI 7: Supported Devices
Samsung will be rolling out the One UI 7 update to a wide range of Galaxy devices, including recent models in the S, Z, A, F, and M series. This includes the Galaxy S24, S23, S22, and S21 series; all recent Galaxy Z Fold and Flip devices; and popular A series models like the Galaxy A55, A54, A73, and A72. The update will also extend to recent Galaxy tablets.
You can find a complete list of One UI 7 supported devices here.
One UI 7: Features (Based on Leaks and Rumors)
Here are all the features you can expect in One UI 7. Some of these are based on leaks and rumors, while others have been spotted on a Galaxy S24 Ultra running an early version of the software.
1. iOS-Inspired Notification Panel
Folks at Sammobile got their hands on a Galaxy S24 Ultra running One UI 7 at the Samsung Developer Conference, revealing an iPhone-inspired design for the notification panel. Each notification appears with rounded corners, and the panel retains the background blur effect from the current One UI version.
Previously, one swipe revealed the notification panel and another revealed quick settings. However, Samsung now seems to be adopting Apple’s approach: swiping down from the top left opens a dedicated notification shade while swiping from the top right opens the quick settings panel.
Rumors suggest you’ll have an option to retain the current single-page layout or switch to a two-page layout.
2. New Quick Settings Panel
The Quick Settings panel is getting a revamp with One UI 7. It will feature more rounded, pill-shaped elements, and two separate sliders: one for display brightness and the other for media volume. You no longer need to fiddle around the physical buttons to adjust the volume.
WiFi and Bluetooth controls are prominently positioned at the top, followed by the rest right below. The new panel may seem polarizing to some, but I’m sure there will be plenty of options to customize it with Good Lock.
3. New One UI 7 Icons
Yes, One UI 7 is bringing freshly designed icons for system apps to your Samsung Galaxy phone. The only caveat is they look heavily inspired by iOS.
The new icons are more rounded and use different color shades across the board. They look modern and are easy to differentiate. Check out the new icons for Settings, Camera, Samsung Internet, Contacts, Weather, Phone, Clock, and Themes apps below.
4. Dark Theme for App Icons
It’s rumored that One UI 7 will also let you enable a dark theme for app icons, just like iOS 18. All icons will take on a darker undertone when you switch to dark mode. There could be an automatic setting that changes icons to light or dark based on your phone’s system-wide dark mode settings.
5. Smoother, Customizable Animations
According to leaks, One UI 7 is coming with an animation overhaul—expect smoother, denser, and more responsive animations throughout the UI. This includes new notification pop-up and closing animations, as well as updated button touch and page return animations.
Samsung will also let users customize animations with the Good Lock app. You’ll be able to choose different animation presets, such as ‘Pixel by Pixel’ and ‘The Scent of a Fruit’ (yes, that’s a pun on Apple). There will also be manual settings, including simple options to adjust animation speed or an advanced mode.
In advanced settings, you can fine-tune all animation options, including duration, blur, curve, and more. This is significant and something we haven’t seen yet on any mainstream smartphone.
6. Vertical App Drawer
Almost every Android manufacturer had moved on to a vertical app drawer except One UI. Users have been requesting Samsung for a long time to allow it, as it lets you find and access apps quickly instead of swiping through different pages. This feature will finally arrive with One UI 7.
However, it will likely be available through the Home Up module in the Good Lock app, not the default system settings. Once enabled, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the list of apps on your phone. There will also be a search bar at the bottom to make it easier to search for apps.
7. Live Activities on Lock Screen
Apple’s Live Activities have always been a feature I found useful, and it seems Samsung will be adding something similar to the One UI 7 lock screen.
With this feature, you can see real-time progress for ongoing tasks, like your Uber ride or food delivery, directly on your phone’s lock screen. Tapping it will reveal more information. Samsung will be calling it the Control Area.
8. Welcome Pill (Dynamic Island Style Notifications)
Welcome Pill (or Dynamic Island) is another feature that One UI 7 seems to have taken from iOS. It appears as a small pill-shaped notification on the top left side of the status bar. Tap it to expand the pill. OnePlus has already introduced a similar feature in Oxygen OS 14.
9. Pill-Shape Battery Icon
The battery icon is a horizontal rectangular bar on One UI 6. With One UI 7, it will change to a more rounded pill-shaped icon with the battery percentage displayed inside. This change complements the overall trend towards rounder, more modern design elements.
10. New Widgets
You’ll also see new widgets for the home screen and lock screen. Currently, we only have a limited set of widgets that can be added to the lock screen, but you can expect that number to increase.
Additionally, you’d be able to resize them. A Twitter tipster, Ice Universe, recently mentioned that One UI 7 will have “incomparably rich widgets, more than any other OS.”
An user on X (Twitter), @BennettBuhner, posted a concept of what the lock screen might look like with this new design.
11. Bold View for Apps
On iOS 18, Apple added a feature where you could opt for large icons on the home screen without any app labels. Samsung is adopting the same feature under the Bold View moniker. Turn it on to see bigger icons and widgets without any name labels.
This isn’t the default setting, however. You’ll have both options: Classic (default) and Bold, and you can switch between the two at any time.
12. Finally, an App Lock
One UI 7 will finally bring the App Lock feature to your Galaxy phone. Previously, you had to either use Secure Folder or rely on third-party app locks, but now it will be available by default. You’ll be able to lock apps using biometrics, a PIN, pattern, or password.
Notably, Android 15 has a Private Space feature that provides a separate area to keep sensitive apps and data away from prying eyes. However, since Samsung already has Secure Folder and an option to hide apps, I don’t think they’ll adopt this feature.
13. Continuity Notifications
Samsung has been building its own ecosystem and it works pretty well. It’s one of the closest things to Apple’s ecosystem in the Android world, whether it’s Galaxy Tab and phone integration or Galaxy Book and Galaxy phone pairing.
With One UI 7, that gap might close even further. New continuity notifications will allow you to receive the same notifications, calls, and video calls on all your Galaxy smartphones and devices signed in to the same account.
14. New Camera UI
One UI 7 won’t just change the camera icon; it will also redesign the Camera app’s user interface. All controls and options will be moved to the bottom, with options to toggle the flash, access settings, adjust the aspect ratio, resolution, and more positioned right above the shutter button.
The Camera app is now more in line with the interface on Google Pixel devices, providing a UI that is easier to reach and use with one hand.
15. Galaxy Avatar
One UI 7 was recently spotted featuring a Galaxy Avatar in the Advanced Features menu. It looks like Samsung is replacing its AR emojis with this. This feature includes options for Avatar Stickers, an Avatar Camera, and the ability to create custom outfits for your avatars.
It syncs with Samsung Cloud, making it accessible across your Samsung devices.
16. An AI-Powered Bixby (Maybe)
Both Apple, with its AI-enhanced Siri, and Google, with its new Gemini Assistant, have moved beyond traditional voice assistants. These new AI-powered assistants utilize large language models to understand more context, engage in real-time conversations, and perform a wider range of tasks, such as generating content, translating languages, and providing summaries.
We’re expecting Samsung to add similar LLM capabilities to Bixby, especially if they have long-term plans for it and aren’t planning to discontinue it anytime soon.
17. New Gallery and Phone App
Samsung is also working on brand-new Gallery and Phone apps. The Gallery app, as seen in the video, features bottom menu icons for Pictures, Albums, Settings, and a dedicated Search section, similar to Google Photos.
We only have a glimpse of the Phone app, which is still a work in progress. It shows a redesigned interface with icons for keypad, recent, and contacts, and a repositioned search button and menu for improved reachability.
18. Support for 5G Messaging
One UI 7 will reportedly add support for 5G SMS messages, that represent the next generation of SMS and MMS. Think of it as iMessage for Android, allowing you to share high-quality photos and videos, send large files, and enjoy features like reading receipts, typing indicators, reacting to messages with emojis, and more.
Other Leaks About the One UI 7
UI Responsiveness: One UI 7.0 (and the subsequent One UI 7.1) will provide enhanced smoothness, overall responsiveness, and animation stability compared to One UI 6.
It will arrive first on these devices: One UI 7 is expected to launch initially on a select set of Galaxy S and Z-series smartphones, as well as the Galaxy A53, A54, and A55.
One UI 7 introduces several new options: it allows you to customize bottom gesture sensitivity, tune home gesture animations, create large folders on the home screen, use pop-up folders, and more.
App Icons Are Getting a Refresh: Samsung is working to further enhance the One UI 7 icons based on user feedback received online.
That’s all from our end. Before you go, make sure to bookmark this page, as we will keep updating it with more leaks about One UI 7 as and when they go live.
