Latest news with #PaulJones
Android Authority
3 days ago
- General
- Android Authority
One UI 8 makes living with multiple alarms a whole lot easier
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung's new One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series improves its alarm group functions. Users can now add existing alarms to alarm groups. Further, they can now place an alarm group widget on their home screen, making it much more convenient to control multiple alarms with a single tap. Samsung rolled out One UI 8 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series, and we're digging through the update to find all the changes. With One UI 8, Samsung is adding some quality-of-life improvements to alarm groups, one of the best features added to One UI 7. Many people set multiple alarms for tasks like getting up for work or school. If you are one of those (no judgment), you'd know that managing all of these alarms can be a hassle, especially if you want to pause them for a day or two. Samsung introduced the ability to group alarms together with One UI 7, letting users group related alarms to turn them on and off with a single click. As part of the One UI 8 changelog, Samsung is touting the following upgrades to the alarm group functionality: Enhanced alarm groups: You can now add existing alarms to an alarm group by tapping the + button on the Alarm group screen. You can also add an alarm group to a widget on your Home screen so you can turn all of the alarms in the group on or off with a single tap. The first part of this change fixes an annoyance in One UI 7. In One UI 7, the plus button inside an alarm group would create a new alarm within the group rather than letting you add an existing alarm to the group, as you can see in the screen recording below: With One UI 8, pressing the Plus button within an alarm group lets you choose between adding a new alarm or moving an existing alarm into the group. Further, as mentioned in the changelog, you can now add an alarm group widget to your home screen. In the screenshot below, you can see widgets for an individual alarm and an alarm group. This makes it highly convenient to toggle an alarm group right from your home screen. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority One UI 7 only lets you place a single alarm as a widget, even if that alarm already nests within an alarm group. Now, with One UI 8, you can have complex alarm groups and still easily manage them. These are small quality-of-life changes that make a profound impact on the end user experience. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
One UI 8 finally expands support for an Android 15 feature sorely missed on One UI 7
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR One UI 8 finally lets you use Android 15's predictive back gesture on stock Samsung apps. One UI 7 restricted the usage of the predictive back gesture to Google apps. The feature is now enabled by default on the latest One UI 8 beta update. The One UI 8 beta has arrived for the Galaxy S25 series, and we've been digging into it to see what's new. One sweet improvement we've found is that Samsung is finally adding support for Android 15's predictive back gesture in its stock apps, a feature that was (and is) notably missing from the One UI 7 update. Predictive back was introduced with Android 15 and is enabled by default. It enhances gesture navigation by letting users preview the screen they'll return to before the back gesture is completed. In One UI 7, this feature works mostly only with Google apps. But with the One UI 8 beta, the predictive back gesture now works across several of Samsung's own apps, such as: Clock Calculator Weather Settings Voice Recorder Contacts However, the gesture still doesn't function in some Samsung apps, like Calendar and Reminders. Another noteworthy change is that the toggle for predictive back animations is now visible in the Developer Options menu. In One UI 7, this setting could be found through the Settings search bar, but would not appear when tapped, almost as if it were hidden. That inconsistency has been fixed in One UI 8 beta, where the setting is now fully accessible. That said, we didn't need to enable the toggle to get predictive back working on the Samsung apps. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority One thing you need to know is that to use the expanded predictive back gesture in One UI 8 beta (or the older version in One UI 7), you must disable the One Hand Operation+ Good Lock module. If it's enabled, predictive back won't work. Of course, you also need to enable gesture navigation to use the feature. However, as we previously discovered, Google is also working to bring predictive back support to three-button navigation in Android 16. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Samsung confirms stable One UI 8 rollout plans
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has confirmed that the stable One UI 8 rollout will start this summer. The company's upcoming foldables — the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 — will be the first phones to receive the update. The Android 16-based software will roll out to other devices soon after. Samsung has officially confirmed that its upcoming foldable smartphones — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 — will be the first devices to ship with the stable version of One UI 8. The announcement comes on the heels of the One UI 8 beta rollout, which kicked off for the Galaxy S25 series earlier today in the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea. Samsung says One UI 8 marks a major milestone for the company as it brings in a new generation of software innovation built around AI and optimized for its unique form factors. In a fresh blog post, Samsung outlined its roadmap for the stable One UI 8 rollout, describing it as 'a new era of software intelligence' featuring a multimodal AI agent tailored for various Galaxy devices. While the beta version of the update is now available for the Galaxy S25 series in select regions, the stable launch is reserved for Samsung's upcoming foldables, which will debut this summer. 'One UI 8 will debut on Samsung's newest foldables this summer and will gradually expand to more Galaxy devices,' the company confirmed in the post. What's new in One UI 8? Samsung Samsung says One UI 8, based on Android 16, has been developed in close collaboration with Google. It includes personalized AI features, contextual UX enhancements, and usability upgrades designed to enhance productivity, security, and daily convenience. According to Samsung, the key features of One UI 8 include: Multimodal AI: An AI that understands voice, vision, and text inputs for more natural interactions. Optimized UX: Tailored interfaces for foldables and other form factors. More powerful Now Bar and Now Brief: Enhancements to the two features will deliver even more customized insights and suggestions. On-device privacy options: Settings where users can choose to process data only on the device. Samsung is also enhancing convenience with features like QR code-based Auracast audio sharing, voice-enabled reminders in a redesigned Reminders app, QR- and NFC-powered customer support registration, and upgraded Quick Share capabilities. We expect more details about One UI 8 at the formal unveiling of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 in the coming weeks as Samsung prepares for its next Unpacked event.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
iOS 19 may finally let you transfer your iPhone's eSIM to an Android phone
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR New evidence in an Android 16 beta suggests Apple's upcoming iOS 19 may allow transferring an eSIM from an iPhone directly to an Android phone. The process might involve a new 'Transfer to Android' option in iPhone settings, possibly using a QR code, session ID, and passcode for manual initiation. This feature, hinted at by strings in Google's SIM Manager app, could be unveiled by Apple at WWDC 2025, simplifying cross-platform device switching. Changing phones can be a hassle, especially when switching from an iPhone to an Android phone. While transferring your files and data between these platforms has become considerably easier, your eSIM typically can't be moved over directly. Instead, you often need to contact your carrier for a new QR code to scan, which activates your service on the new phone. Fortunately, the next version of iOS might simplify transferring an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android phone. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. While digging through the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 update Google released last week, I discovered some interesting new strings in Google's SIM Manager app. This app, available on various Android devices, can provision and transfer eSIMs between Android phones. Its latest version contains strings suggesting Apple's upcoming iOS 19 release will add support for wirelessly transferring an eSIM to Android phones. These strings suggest that iOS 19 will add a new 'Transfer to Android' page, accessible under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. For comparison, here's the current Transfer or Reset iPhone settings screen in the latest iOS 18.5 stable release. Under the new Transfer to Android page, there may be an additional 'Other Options' button that, we assume, will allow iOS users to manually initiate the wireless transfer of their iPhone's eSIM to their new Android phone. This manual transfer process will likely begin by scanning a QR code on the new Android phone, similar to how eSIMs are currently transferred between Android devices. The strings suggest this new QR code-based eSIM transfer process will serve as a fallback to a more seamless transfer method, perhaps Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer feature. This QR code process requires entering a 'session ID' and a 'passcode' on your Android device, both presumably generated by the iPhone. Furthermore, the strings indicate that if the two devices fail to connect wirelessly, it might be because the iPhone isn't running iOS 19 or later. Code Copy Text Enter session ID and passcode On your other device, go to Settings app > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Transfer to Android > Other Options "Still can't connect wirelessly?"" Make sure your other device is running iOS 19 or later versions." If you're skeptical that a Google-made app in a Pixel's Android beta build could reveal an iOS 19 feature, I understand why. However, this isn't as far-fetched as it might initially seem. After all, Google would need to know Apple is working on this functionality to build corresponding support into its SIM Manager app. Plus, with WWDC 2025 less than two weeks away — where Apple is expected to unveil iOS 19 — it's plausible this feature is launching very soon. Transferring an eSIM between Android devices or between iPhones has been possible for some time, so it was inevitable that this capability would eventually extend across platforms. It's likely this feature was implemented at the request of carriers, aiming to reduce the need for users to contact them each time they switch devices. Whatever the case, we're glad to see clues that Apple is adding support for transferring an iPhone's eSIM to an Android phone, and we hope the reverse is also in the works. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
5 days ago
- Android Authority
Shutter lag included?: Apple could copy Samsung by adopting a 200MP camera
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Apple is testing a 200MP camera sensor, according to a veteran leaker. This will likely be used for the main camera rather than as a zoom camera sensor. Apple would be following in Android OEMs' footsteps by adopting this tech. Samsung was among the first smartphone makers to adopt a 200MP camera, marking the next step in the megapixel war. We've since seen more brands adopting this high-resolution sensor for their main and telephoto sensors. Now, it sounds like Apple could follow suit by potentially adopting a 200MP camera too. Leaker Digital Chat Station claimed on Weibo that Apple is testing a 200MP camera. The tipster added in a follow-up comment that this sensor is most likely being used for the main camera. There are a few benefits to using a 200MP main camera. Shooting at full resolution would give users more flexibility for cropping after the fact compared to a 48MP or 50MP shot. In saying so, full-resolution shots don't often look great, even in ideal conditions. Furthermore, all those megapixels enable higher-quality cropped zoom. Samsung Semiconductor specifically says its Isocell HP3 sensor enables up to 4x zoom at lossless resolution. So Apple could theoretically skip a 2x or 3x camera on its cheaper iPhones while still delivering solid short-range zoom capabilities. Alternatively, the company could use a 200MP camera on its Pro phones to bridge the gap to its 5x zoom camera. Do you want iPhones to adopt a 200MP camera? 0 votes Yes, for the main or zoom camera NaN % Yes, but for the main camera NaN % Yes, but only for the zoom camera NaN % No, I don't want a 200MP camera at all NaN % There are a couple of downsides to such a high-resolution sensor, though. These sensors have tiny photo sites compared to 108MP or 50MP cameras, which makes for reduced light capture in theory. However, Samsung has long resorted to nona-binning (combining data from nine pixels into one) to offset this issue, with positive results. But the biggest issue we've encountered on Samsung's 200MP-toting Ultra phones is shutter lag, as these cameras struggle to capture moving subjects. So we hope Apple resolves the latter problem in particular if it adopts a 200MP main camera. This news also comes as companies like vivo, HONOR, and Xiaomi use 200MP sensors for their periscope zoom cameras. This move allows for better hybrid zoom on paper compared to a conventional 12MP or 50MP camera, owing to all those megapixels. So we're definitely keen to see more manufacturers take this route instead. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
