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Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
Samsung's One UI Made Me Fall Out of Love With Stock Android
A lot of people praise stock Android for being clean and light, often comparing it to One UI, which is deemed bloated. While certain pre-installed Samsung apps are indeed not very useful, I'm willing to argue that One UI is by far the best Android skin, and the minimal aesthetic of stock Android is highly overrated. Stock Android purists often use the term bloatware to refer to anything non-Google, and since One UI comes preloaded with a lot of Samsung alternatives, it's labeled bloated. However, if you've actually bothered to use Samsung apps and not immediately dismiss them simply because they're not from Google, you'll notice that many of them have ample merit. Take Samsung Notes, for instance. It's not some half-baked, redundant app like the kind you'd expect from a budget OEM. It's genuinely feature-rich, supports handwriting recognition, has all the formatting tools you'll need, does a better job than Google Keep at organizing your notes, and syncs seamlessly with Samsung Cloud. And if you have one of Samsung's Ultra phones, you can use the S Pen to instantly take notes on the screen without even unlocking the device. The same goes for Samsung's mobile browser. I use it as my default browser, and I can assure you that Samsung Internet is better than Chrome in almost every way. It's far more feature-rich, more customizable, has more privacy controls, better dark mode implementation, built-in ad-blocking support, and a dedicated video assistant to avoid inconsistent video interfaces across websites. Samsung Internet's incognito mode (called Secret Mode) is also far superior to Chrome. Files downloaded while in Secret Mode can only be viewed within Secret Mode, and aren't visible anywhere else on your phone—this is such a no-brainer feature, I'm surprised Google hasn't added it to Chrome yet. Also, to make sure no one can see these files other than you, Secret Mode is also password-protected. On the privacy dashboard, you can block annoying pop-ups and backward redirections, and prevent apps from opening new browser tabs so you're not redirected to web pages you didn't mean to visit. You can also block automatic downloads and trackers, and receive warnings about malicious sites as a precaution. The only area where I'd say Samsung Internet falls behind Chrome is cross-platform sync. If you like to have your bookmarks synced when moving from your phone to laptop, Samsung Internet will not be able to serve that purpose for you since it's limited to mobile. Does it suck that the app lacks this feature? Yes. Does it make the app bloatware? Absolutely not. Similar is the case with many other Samsung apps. Being given a choice is not the same as having bloatware. Many preloaded Samsung apps can be uninstalled, so if you don't like them, you can get rid of them. True stock Android—like what you'd find on an AOSP build—is basically dead in the consumer market. These days, when people say "stock Android," they're mostly talking about Pixel phones. And while Pixels aren't technically stock Android, they're still the closest thing to it. But even with Google's added features, Pixels feel limited in ways that One UI doesn't. Granted, Pixel phones offer an adequate level of personalization, but the core interface and behavior can't be altered. Want to change how your recent apps screen looks? App icons? Home screen layout? Status bar? Nope. Samsung, through One UI and its in-house customization suite Good Lock, gives you control at a system-deep level—without root, without third-party hacks. You can not only customize the look and feel of your phone, but also add extra features. On my phone, I used Good Lock to add a back-tap gesture, a delete button to the screenshot toolbar, a more granular volume slider, and make multi-window show more content so I don't have to scroll as much when using split screen or pop-up view. The Pixel experience is curated, yes, but curated to Google's tastes. If that aligns with you, great. But One UI is more malleable in comparison and can be made to look, feel, and function exactly the way you want. It's your phone, after all. Alongside split screen, which is available on all Android phones, One UI allows opening apps in a resizable pop-up window, the same way you open app windows on your laptop, and if you know how to take advantage of it, this feature can be really useful. For instance, I've made it a habit to open notifications in pop-up view, so whatever app I'm currently using isn't interrupted. If the notification is not important, I just close the window and carry on, but if it's important, I minimize the window into a floating bubble and come back to it once I'm done with the current app. If you're savvy, you can even use gestures to quickly access split screen or pop-up view while using an app. Edge panels are another feature I use very frequently. It's used primarily to store your favorite apps (further reducing clutter on your home screen), but also allows you to check the weather, view and add reminders, access your clipboard items, and more. Edge panels can be accessed anytime, other than during gaming, by swiping inward from the panel handle. A piece of software doesn't automatically become cluttered just because it has more features in it. One UI separates core and advanced functionality in a way that keeps the interface clean for casual users while offering depth for power users. You won't even notice half the features unless you go looking for them, which is exactly how it should be. Think of it this way: the software rewards you for exploring it, instead of overwhelming you with options from day one. With One UI 7, Samsung's biggest software update in years, the company organized these settings into "topics" accessible from the search bar within the Settings app, making it easier for casual users to navigate them. What people call 'clutter' in this context is really just capability. It's not clutter if it's neatly filed and easy to ignore until needed. Apps you don't need can be hidden from the app drawer and home screen, too. Minimalism for the sake of aesthetics is overrated. I'm yet to see a more comprehensive mobile automation system than Samsung's Modes and Routines. Through the app, you can create simple IFTTT (If This Then That) applets that perform a sequence of actions when set conditions are triggered. For instance, you can create a routine that enables Bluetooth whenever you open YouTube and Netflix, so you can quickly connect your earbuds without having to enable this setting each time manually. Similarly, you can create a routine that enables Location whenever you open Google Maps or ride-sharing apps. Most of the tasks you do on your phone are repetitive in nature, like enabling Do Not Disturb before bedtime or power saving mode when you're running low. Since these actions are recurring and predictable, your phone should be smart enough to just do them without requiring your input as a user, and that's exactly what Modes and Routines are for. Once you get familiar with the feature, you can come up with all sorts of creative ideas to make new routines. On my phone, for instance, I've set a routine that keeps Battery Protection enabled overnight, so I never need to worry that my phone is sitting fully charged throughout the night, damaging its battery health. All of this and more is simply not possible on stock Android. Pixel has its own automation system, called Rules, but its functionality is nowhere near as capable. Android didn't have a proper AirDrop alternative for a long time. Eventually, Google launched Nearby Share in 2020, right after Samsung launched its own implementation, Quick Share, the same year. Google's intent was to create a unified and seamless file-sharing experience across the entire Android ecosystem, whereas Samsung's Quick Share was designed exclusively to make Galaxy devices work together better. It only takes a quick Reddit search to find out which one people prefer more. Quick Share is faster, allows sharing with multiple devices simultaneously, works offline, and doesn't make you jump through setup hoops every time. It felt closer to what AirDrop was always meant to be: invisible and instant. In 2024, Google and Samsung merged Nearby Share and Quick Share into a single cross-Android solution, with the latter essentially absorbing the former. Similar to the point above, Google's new Private Space feature is very clearly inspired by Samsung's Secure Folder, an isolated and password-protected space inside your phone. It's not just a locker to store sensitive photos, videos, and files, but it can create a clone of any third-party app of your choice, allowing you to log in from a separate account. Before introducing Private Space to Pixel phones, Google added "Locked Folder" to the Google Photos app, which did the same thing but only for your gallery items. The problem is that the option to access it is easily visible, and the folder uses your phone's screen lock, so if someone knows your lock screen password, like your partner or a family member, they can easily get in. Thankfully, Private Space allows creating a unique password, just like Secure Folder. Most people experience Android through Samsung's One UI, so the latter has a far bigger role to play in the direction of Android's development than you might realize. One UI is not just a disposable skin taped on top of Android; it has contributed to the OS more often than stock Android purists would know.
Android Authority
18-05-2025
- Android Authority
One UI 7 is better than I thought, but Google's Pixel software still beats it
Joe Maring / Android Authority We've spent more time than I care to count debating which Android skin is the best here at Android Authority. I've always leaned towards Google's light, smooth Pixel UI, but I have friends who will defend Samsung and its customizable One UI until their batteries run out. Somehow, they've found a comfort in the endlessly customizable menus, replaceable icon packs, and side-scrolling app drawer that's never quite clicked for me. But, I am nothing if not open-minded. When a major Android update lands, I tend to make my rounds through all of the usual suspects, checking out Google's take on it, along with Samsung's, OnePlus's, and Motorola's, often in that order. Right now, that means a good, long look, or a second look, at One UI 7. And as happy as I am with the new update, it still hasn't swayed me. Samsung vs. Google vs. OnePlus vs. Moto: Which Android skin do you prefer? 0 votes Samsung One UI 7 NaN % Google Pixel UI NaN % OnePlus OxygenOS 15 NaN % Motorola Hello UI NaN % Other (let us know in the comments) NaN % This is (mostly) what I wanted my Galaxy Z Flip 6 to feel like Ryan Haines / Android Authority First, I should clarify that this isn't my first dig into the world of One UI 7. I've used Samsung's latest software on all three — or, rather, four — of the Galaxy S25 models, including the new Galaxy S25 Edge. It felt natural across the entire lineup, almost as if the features were specifically designed for Samsung's newest, most powerful devices, because they were. However, to me, there's a difference between using the software a phone launches with and giving it a significant update that promises a bunch of new wrinkles. Usually, the former is the best a phone feels, with the least wear and tear on its battery and chipset, combined with perfectly optimized software. Not this time. When I loaded up One UI 7 on my Galaxy Z Flip 6, I realized its previous Android version felt incomplete. Everything feels better, from the redesigned camera UI that makes controls easier to reach to the Now Bar that offers more glanceable updates for sports, timers, and calendar reminders. It's almost like I can do more with my Galaxy Z Flip 6 without spending as much time thinking about it or asking Galaxy AI to think for me. And, as a stubborn Android user who still likes to do things semi-manually, I appreciate that. However, not just those more noticeable changes have made One UI 7 an experience worth keeping around. I'm just as drawn in by the smaller tweaks, like a vertical-scrolling app drawer (at long last), and the split notification menus. Although I couldn't stand the latter at first, I've come to appreciate it. I've come to terms with swiping down on opposite sides of my display much better than I ever did with the old OnePlus Shelf design. Even the animations in One UI 7 feel more polished — yet another simple task that makes an $1,100 flip phone feel like it meets its price tag. One UI 7 improves a lot, but several Galaxy Z Flip hiccups persist. Then again, because we're talking about one of Samsung's more interesting form factors, I know that One UI 7 still has some work to do. Although it boosts the day-to-day experience on traditional candy bar phones, it doesn't fix any of the quirks with the Galaxy Z Flip line, like the lack of a proper cover screen app drawer, and neither the split notifications nor the Now Bar are present on the phone's Flex Window. I probably shouldn't have expected massive Galaxy Z Flip changes in One UI 7, given the significantly delayed — and very unlike Samsung — rollout of One UI 7, but it's still disappointing to see one of the two major flip phone players leave its software feeling second-best. I'm optimistic that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 series will bring changes, especially now that the cover screen is likely getting a refresh, but I refuse to get my hopes up. More is still more, and sometimes that's too much Ryan Haines / Android Authority In the introduction, I mentioned that I liked Google's Pixel UI for its light, clean interface. I know it's not the same as stock Android — and I don't think I'd like it if it were — but its less-is-more approach has always felt most comfortable. It's like the simple, streamlined iOS interface of the Android world, just with the customization options to make it feel more like home. One UI 7, on the other hand, remains the opposite. Yes, it's been cleaned up and feels more functional and efficient than ever, but it's still pretty maximal as far as Android skins go. It's highly customizable — you could (and I did) spend hours picking out a new launcher and swapping to a new app icon pack — but now Samsung has ways to go even further with DIY Home in Good Lock. So far, DIY Home has caused a bit of a rift in the Android Authority team. A few of us love the flexibility it offers, while others, like me, find it as overwhelming as overfilling a plate at Thanksgiving. Sure, it's nice to experience the true freedom to drop apps and widgets anywhere and everywhere, grid or no grid, but as soon as you step off Samsung's guardrails, all bets are off. DIY Home is more proof that Samsung's overwhelming customizations are alive and well. I accidentally selected two apps and one widget at the same time and hit one of Samsung's align buttons, only to find out that it aligned them… on top of each other. Yes, it set them perfectly along the right side of my Galaxy Z Flip 6 display, but it did so in a way where I'd then have to drag and drop each one to access them. Worse, there's no good way to toggle DIY Home off and on again to restart your layout — everything is aligned to the grid or exactly how you left it in chaos mode. Honestly, if Samsung had added DIY Home without needing Good Lock, I might not have minded it so much. However, the fact that it falls into the classic Samsung trap of needing extra apps to cover a basic task tells me that One UI 7 hasn't learned many lessons after all. It's still overloaded with Microsoft and LinkedIn partnerships that keep bloatware on the default home interface, and Samsung can't decide whether it wants you to opt into features (like the vertical app drawer) or out of them (like returning to the traditional notification shade). One UI 7 is Samsung at its best, but Pixel UI still has my heart Ryan Haines / Android Authority Overall, I shouldn't be surprised by my One UI 7 experience. I knew going in that it would feel pretty good in the hand following my time with the Galaxy S25 series, and I was probably mostly excited to try it on my Galaxy Z Flip 6 simply because I love the form factor. For the most part, Samsung's software has met my expectations. It improved what Samsung could improve on its candy bar devices, yet left most of the flip phone issues hanging in the wind, pretty much as expected, even if it wasn't the most exciting. That said, my return to One UI also helped crystallize just how far behind Pixel UI it is in my mind. Many of the things that I was excited to see Samsung embrace, Google has already been doing for years. Pixels still have the better, more streamlined camera experience, and I've never questioned how my app drawer would pop up when I fired up a new Google device. Mix in that Google's combination of hardware and software feels more fun than Samsung's functional, efficient approach, and I'll keep grabbing a Pixel every time. My return to One UI also helped crystallize just how far behind Pixel UI it is in my mind. And then, there's the chaos of the One UI 7 rollout itself. The constant delays and uncertainty got to the point where my colleague Joe Maring called them bad enough that he wouldn't recommend a Samsung phone, and after watching my brother struggle with One UI 7 tanking the battery life on his phone, I'm inclined to agree. Sure, Samsung will probably smooth some of those cracks over time, but I don't think we'll have forgotten about delay after delay by the time One UI 8 rolls around in just a few months.
