Latest news with #SamsungInternet
Android Authority
09-08-2025
- Android Authority
7 features I want Chrome to steal from its rivals, and why
Ryan Haines / Android Authority I've been on the Chrome bandwagon for years now and it remains my go-to browser even today. But let's just say, I haven't been entirely faithful to Chrome. Over the years, I've dabbled in a wide variety of browsers ranging from Edge to modern AI-infused alternatives to see what I might be missing out on. And while I keep coming back to Chrome, it's clear to me that Google has been playing it safe. I haven't been entirely faithful to Chrome, and that's exactly why I know it can do better. Google's been so focused on stability, performance, and ecosystem integration that it's lost some of the ambition that made Chrome exciting in the first place. Meanwhile, competitors like Edge, Vivaldi, Samsung Internet, and even Opera have been quietly adding genuinely useful features that make you question why Chrome doesn't have them yet. Don't get me wrong. For as much as we criticize Chrome, it still nails the basics like syncing across devices, a smart address bar, and unmatched integration with Google services. But that is exactly why it should be better. With the basics nailed down tight and mass acceptance by millions of users, now is the time for Chrome to raise the bar with a modern feature set. So here's a list of features I wish Chrome would just borrow already. In 2025, I wouldn't call any of these features game changers. But most of them are table stakes that would make Chrome a better browser without compromising on what makes it great today. While most of these features are available across the desktop and mobile versions of the browsers, some are available only on the desktop version to account for available screen space. Have you considered switching from Chrome to another browser? 0 votes I've already switched to Opera / Vivaldi / Edge / other. NaN % Not yet, but I'm considering it. NaN % Chrome has all the features I need. NaN % Vertical tabs Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority If you, like me, are a sucker for widescreen displays, you'll know what I'm talking about. Once you've used a browser with vertical tabs, it's hard to go back. Edge and Vivaldi get this right with implementations that let you stack dozens of tabs neatly along the side. It saves horizontal space, keeps tab titles or icons visible, and just makes sense for widescreen monitors. Once you've used vertical tabs on a widescreen monitor, there's no going back. Chrome still forces you to deal with overflowing tabs that shrink to favicon-sized blobs. With my kind of use, even those favicons aren't a very viable solution. Sure, there are a few extensions that claim to offer vertical tabs, but nothing beats a native, polished solution with full keyboard shortcut support and drag-and-drop management. For power users like me who are constantly juggling dozens of tabs at once, vertical tabs aren't a nice-to-have anymore. They're essential. Split-screen tabs Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority As a writer on the internet, I spend a lot of time researching and, all too often, referencing interesting research in my articles, comparing spec sheets, or looking up a Google Doc while drafting an email. One of my favorite features in the Vivaldi browser is its native ability to toss up split-screen tabs that let you view two tabs side by side. It might seem like a minor step up over just snapping two windows side by side in Chrome, but the added convenience makes a big difference in everyday usability. More so because once you have a couple of these windows open, believe me, it can be a chore to sift through the mess to locate the right one. A simple tab tiling feature that lets you open two or more tabs in a split screen inside a single window would instantly boost productivity, especially for users who live in their browser all day. Built-in screenshot and markup tools Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority It boggles my mind that in 2025, Chrome still doesn't offer a native screenshot tool with full-fledged, or even rudimentary, annotation capabilities. Yes, I can use the tools built into my Mac, but that's more steps for something as basic as taking a screenshot and sharing a section of the display. It's 2025 and Chrome still doesn't have a proper screenshot and annotation tool. That's just embarrassing. Meanwhile, Edge lets you capture a section of a page, mark it up, and share it instantly. Opera goes one step further with text recognition and meme templates. Chrome users are stuck with clunky third-party extensions or system-level tools that lack web-specific context. Whether you're grabbing a quote, pointing out a bug, or saving a receipt, built-in screenshot tools save time. If Google really wants to push its AI-first strategy, imagine combining a screenshot tool with contextual smart suggestions or one-tap copy-paste. Smart Sidebar Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority There's so much untapped potential in a browser sidebar. Microsoft saw that first and turned the Edge sidebar into a productivity hub. You can take notes, use the AI-based Copilot to interact with the web page, manage tasks, or control media playback directly from the side of your browser offers a customizable panel for social media, email, and RSS. Opera, too, offers a plethora of features like social connections and key bookmarks. Chrome's side panel, in comparison, feels like an afterthought. It's not really a sidebar to begin with, nor is it available to all users, but even when accessible, it lacks the breadth of features that other browsers include. Why not let users pin tools like Keep, Gemini, Calendar, or Gmail into the sidebar? Add support for custom widgets and suddenly Chrome transforms into a full blown workspace for users. Efficiency mode Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Chrome and bad RAM management go hand-in-hand. In fact, the browser is the punchline for jokes about being a memory hog and for contributing to poor battery efficiency. While Google has been working on fixing that reputation, Microsoft Edge's efficiency mode proves that a browser can actively manage background tabs and power consumption without slowing things down. A high-efficiency toggle puts the control in users' hands. Giving users direct access to an energy-efficient mode leads to better battery life on laptops, fewer fan whirrs, smoother performance on lower-end hardware, and fewer user complaints. Who'd have thought? Chrome has started making progress here with features like Memory Saver and Energy Saver, but they're tucked away in settings and not as effective as Edge's approach. A dedicated mode with clear toggles and real-time feedback could go a long way. Privacy controls Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority With privacy ranking up there as one of the top things users look out for on the internet these days, it is no surprise that it is the modern day battleground for browsers as well. And let's just say Chrome still feels like it's playing catch-up. That somewhat understandable given Google's skewed ad-driven business interests. Browsers like Brave block trackers by default, Safari shows exactly which trackers were stopped, and Firefox gives you a privacy scorecard. Chrome's privacy controls feel like they were designed for engineers and power users, not everyday users. Chrome's privacy tools, on the other hand, feel more like a developer experiment than a user-facing feature. Basic things like clearing site data, managing permissions, or turning off third-party cookies should be easier and more transparent instead of being buried deep within menus and submenus. An easy to view dashboard with smarter defaults and explanations that don't require an engineering degree is what we need. But it's far from what we get with Chrome. More customization Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority I think we can all agree that Chrome is far from the most customizable browser — on desktop or mobile. It's something that Samsung Internet does brilliantly. You can pick which buttons show up in the toolbar and rearrange them to suit your flow. Want a shortcut for downloads, share, dark mode, or desktop site toggle? You can add that. Chrome, meanwhile, sticks to a rigid layout that hasn't changed much in years. Sure, there are a few more settings to add deeper settings to the menu bar, but offering a browser experience that's truly your own isn't what Chrome specializes in. Even basic stuff like customizing the new tab page or moving the address bar is limited. Chrome could significantly benefit from letting users tweak the interface to fit their habits and devices. For example, mobile users might prefer one-handed controls while desktop users might want more shortcuts. Being the default browser isn't enough anymore For a browser as bloated as Chrome, you might be thinking I'm wrong in asking for more features. But adding quality of life enhancements goes hand-in-hand with removing legacy cruft. The best browsers today strike a balance between performance and functionality. Edge, Vivaldi, and even Arc browser show that it's possible to be fast, clean, and powerful at the same time. And many of these browsers are built on the same Chromium base as Chrome. Most of these features aren't game changers anymore. They're just table stakes in 2025. Google's Chrome browser has the foundation and the reach to pull ahead with modern features that it's still missing out on once it decides to stop playing it safe. If even a few of these ideas made their way into Chrome in a meaningful way, it could feel fresh again instead of being the default by virtue of being the most common option. Follow
Phone Arena
08-08-2025
- Phone Arena
Samsung's browser adds AI option to keep your tabs under control
Samsung is adding a handy tool to its Internet Browser that could help you keep your tabs under control. The new option, found in version 29.0.0.27 of the beta app, is called "Auto close settings." It lets you set unused tabs to close automatically after a certain amount of time. By default, the browser will keep every tab open. But if you turn this feature on, you can choose to close inactive tabs after seven or 30 days. There is also an option called "With smart tab management," which uses AI to decide when a tab is no longer needed. The description says it will close tabs as soon as it detects you are not using them. Many people are careful about managing their tabs, but for others, it is easy to forget how many are open. Having dozens or hundreds of tabs running can slow things down and make browsing less efficient. This update gives users an automated way to keep things tidy. Other browsers have tried to address similar problems. Google Chrome offers a "Memory Saver" that reduces resource use for inactive tabs but does not close them. Apple's Safari on iOS lets you automatically close tabs after one day, one week, or one month. Samsung's addition of an AI-driven closure option is a unique twist, though it will need to be accurate to avoid shutting something you still need. Samsung Internet app's "Auto close unused tabs" with smart tab management setting. | Images credit — SammyGuru Right now, Auto close settings is only available in the beta version of Samsung Internet. Samsung has not shared a release date for the stable version, but most features tested in beta eventually roll out more widely. If that happens, this could become a useful tool for users who do not want to manage tabs manually. From a user perspective, the AI-powered option is both promising and risky. It could save time for people who often forget to close old tabs, but it might also close something important before you are ready. Anyone using it for work or research may want to stick with the timed closure options instead of relying on AI. In the end, this is a small but thoughtful update that could help make Samsung Internet a bit more convenient to use. With mobile browsing often involving multiple tasks at once, features like this can help keep performance smooth and navigation easier. How well it works in practice will likely determine whether it becomes a standard part of Samsung's browser. Get 50% off – try it for 3 months today! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Tom's Guide
14-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Your Questions Answered: How Galaxy AI Streamlines Your Workflow
In today's fast-paced world, finding ways to optimize your daily routine and keep a steady pace is more crucial than ever. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the aid of Galaxy AI*, can help you stay focused and accomplish tasks efficiently. Galaxy AI works behind the scenes on the Galaxy S25 to help you organise meetings, easily access essential information, and move through a to-do list without stumbling. How does this all work in practice? Here are some of the most common questions about using Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S25 to streamline your workflow. Browsing Assist** helps you cram by summarizing the most important parts of what you're reading. The feature is available in the Samsung Internet browser app. Once it's turned on from the settings, Browsing Assist will sprout up the Summarize button, which you can press to get the key takeaways from the text in easy-to-scan bullet points. The Galaxy AI keyboard on the Galaxy S25 gets the gist of what you're trying to say, even when you're not in the mood. Once it's toggled on, Galaxy AI Writing Assist*** uses predictive text to analyze what you're typing and suggests the appropriate words and phrases to give a sentence or paragraph a friendly tone. If you need a photo studio-quality image in a pinch, the Galaxy S25 can help capture it with its high-resolution camera system and Galaxy AI. Use the Galaxy AI Portrait**** mode in the camera app against a plain backdrop, and it will automatically blur the edges in the right spots to mimic a shallow depth of field and help the subject stand out. Stay present during the meeting by recording it with Voice Recorder, and then transcribe the recording with Note Assist*****. Galaxy AI will process the audio and lay out a full transcription, complete with who said what and the topics discussed. It's a helpful way to keep notes on conversations, and it makes them searchable. Sometimes, hurried note-taking is the only option when moving fast. If you're using the Galaxy S25 Ultra with the S Pen, Note Assist can help summarize your scrawls into concise points. You don't have to worry about formatting handwriting into legible text. Even if you don't have a stylus, Note Assist can also help with transcribing meetings and translating content into other languages. The morning stock reports and business news often sets the tone for the day. Stay informed about what's happening during your commute with Galaxy AI Now Brief****** on the S25. This handy feature delivers you the day's weather, top headlines on subjects you prioritize, and schedule and commute information. If you sync up Samsung Health, use the same feature to check on sleep and other health-related information throughout the day. Find out more about what the Samsung Galaxy S25 can do on the Samsung website - and keep your eyes peeled for the next instalment in the Galaxy Z series coming very soon! * Samsung account login is required for certain AI features.
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.
India Today
13-06-2025
- India Today
Samsung One UI 8: Full list of features, eligible phones, expected release timeline and more
Samsung is making swift progress with the development of its next major Android update, One UI 8. Built on Android 16, this new version was first rolled out as a beta update for the Galaxy S25 lineup. Now, just two weeks later, a second beta version has been released for the same series, pointing to a possible early stable release in the coming weeks. If you have been on the lookout for the One UI 8's features, release date, Samsung phones that will get support for this update, you have landed at the right place. Now, without any further ado, let's get into the One UI 8 release date: When is it coming?Though Samsung hasn't officially confirmed the final release or launch date, reports suggest that the One UI 8 update could be formally introduced in early July during the Galaxy Unpacked event. This is the same stage where the next-generation foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7, are expected to be announced. Interestingly, firmware files with version numbers ending in BYF1 and BYF4 have already been spotted on Samsung's servers, hinting at active testing of the stable build behind the One UI 8: Full list of featuresFrom what the beta versions have revealed, the new One UI 8 version aims to offer both functional and visual improvements. For users, this means a smoother experience, smarter features, and a more polished interface. The software brings easier file sharing via an improved Quick Share panel, a better layout for the Samsung Internet browser, and advanced options in the My Files app to filter content based on the app used to download it. Multitasking also gets a boost. With the new split-screen mode, users can now partially minimise one app to keep it in view while focusing on DeX has also been improved. Users connecting their phone to a monitor can now adjust screen resolution up to WQHD and rotate the display in various directions for better flexibility. Other apps like Calendar and Reminder have been redesigned to streamline task management, while sample reminders and quick entry options have been added to make planning Camera app is also getting small but useful changes. A new swipe gesture makes it quicker to access controls from the viewfinder, and there's an easier way to record and review calls directly from the Contacts the wellness department, Samsung Health will now support running challenges in addition to step tracking, and users can set up reminders to log meals to stay on track with calorie the security front, Secure Folder now offers more visibility controls and deeper privacy settings, including hiding apps and encrypting the folder entirely when locked. Accessibility has been expanded with more control options for screen zoom, mouse navigation through a keyboard, and easier Bluetooth pairing for hearing are also updates to weather visuals for a more lifelike display and improvements in alarm group management, along with support for Auracast—a feature that lets users stream audio to multiple devices at once using QR One UI 8: Eligible phones (leaked list)advertisementAs for eligible devices, while Samsung hasn't shared the final list, a number of Galaxy phones are expected to get the One UI 8 update. The Galaxy S25 series will be the first in line, followed by other premium models including the S24 and S23 series, according to SamMobile. Foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Fold 5, Flip 6, and Flip 5 are also likely to get it. Mid-range and budget-friendly phones in the Galaxy A, M, and F series, including models like Galaxy A55, A35, M55, and F16, are also expected to receive One UI 8. Samsung's latest tablets, including the Galaxy Tab S9 and S10 series, are expected to be part of the rollout as all goes according to schedule, Samsung may start rolling out the stable One UI 8 update shortly after the July event. Users with newer Galaxy phones are expected to get the update first, with a wider rollout to follow in phases.
