Latest news with #beta
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
3 things I love about the One UI 8 beta, and one thing I hate
When I woke up yesterday morning, I didn't expect the One UI 8 beta to be waiting for me on my Galaxy S25. Yet, that's precisely what happened. So, with my coffee in one hand and my S25 in the other, I spent my Wednesday morning downloading Samsung's latest beta software. One UI 8 isn't nearly as drastic an update as One UI 7 is, but that's not to say there aren't any significant new features. In the 24 hours I've been using the beta, I've found a handful of pretty fantastic changes. Here are a few things I love about the One UI 8 beta, plus one thing I hate. Do you think One UI 8 is a good update so far? 2 votes Yeah, I like the changes I'm seeing. 0 % It's OK, but I'm curious to see how it progresses in future betas. 50 % No, I was hoping for more change. 50 % Other (let us know in the comments). 0 % The wonderful 90:10 multitasking UI Joe Maring / Android Authority Without a doubt, my number one favorite new feature in the One UI 8 beta is the new 90:10 split screen option for multitasking. This is technically an Android 16 feature rather than something specific to One UI 8, but since it isn't present in the Android 16 QPR1 beta, it's the first time we've had hands-on experience with it. One UI 7 already offers a lot of freedom for how you want to split two apps you're running simultaneously, though the furthest you can go is a 70:30 split. It's not horrible, but it can still make some apps feel squished and difficult to navigate. With the new 90:10 option in One UI 8, you can now run one of your apps in a mostly full-screen view, while your other app is hidden as a small sliver at the top or bottom of the screen — and you can quickly change that app to the full-screen view just by tapping on it. This is virtually identical to how Open Canvas works on OnePlus phones, and I couldn't be happier with it. Now, I can use one app without compromising its UI while still having another application just a tap away. It's far and away my favorite way to use split-screen multitasking on Android, and I'm thrilled to now have it on Samsung phones with One UI 8. The new Samsung Reminder app is excellent Joe Maring / Android Authority For the past few months, Google Tasks has been my go-to reminder and to-do list app. I don't see that changing any time soon, but the new Samsung Reminder app in One UI 8 is tempting me. Samsung has completely overhauled the app's homepage, with the most significant change being the addition of new categories at the top. Previously, One UI 7 showed your custom reminder categories at the top, while categories like Today, Scheduled, Important, and Place were tucked away in a side menu. Now, all of those are front and center at the top of the Reminder app, allowing you to immediately see how many reminders are in each of those categories. Samsung Reminder in One UI 8 Samsung Reminder in One UI 8 Samsung Reminder in One UI 7 Samsung Reminder in One UI 7 The UI for adding a new reminder is better, too. There are more reminder options, adding a time to a reminder is much simpler, and the location UI is also improved. Additionally, if you use the Samsung Calendar app, you can now create a new reminder from there. It's a lot of smaller tweaks, but I think they all come together to make Samsung Reminder a far more enjoyable experience than it used to be. As someone who doesn't live that deep in the Samsung ecosystem, the broader availability of Google Tasks will likely keep me there for the time being. Still, this is a substantial update on Samsung's part, and I hope it motivates Google to give Tasks similar attention. A much-needed Quick Share update Joe Maring / Android Authority This is a relatively minor change compared to the multitasking and Reminder updates, but it's still one that I appreciate. If you're running the One UI 8 beta and share something via Quick Share, you'll notice that there's now a completely new interface. In One UI 7, tapping the Quick Share toggle from the quick settings merely displayed a pop-up menu for you to change who can share files with you. However, in One UI 8, tapping the same Quick Share toggle now takes you to a brand new interface that's split into dedicated Receive and Send pages. Additionally, from the Send page, you can select files you want to share right there, rather than having to do so through Android's regular sharing menu. The tech behind Quick Share is great, but its user-facing presence on Android has always felt severely lacking. This is a massive step in the right direction, and I honestly think it'll get me to use Quick Share more often. This is something we expect all Android phones to eventually get, but if you want to try it now, you'll only find it in the One UI 8 beta. What I hate about the One UI 8 beta Joe Maring / Android Authority In my limited time with the One UI 8 beta, I haven't found anything outright broken or a change that's been made for the worse. If anything, it feels a lot like One UI 7, just with some extra features and a bit of extra polish. If that's the case, what is it about One UI 8 that I hate? It's what's not here. One of the biggest changes in Android 16 is Google's new Material 3 Expressive design. Having played with it in the Android 16 QPR1 Beta, I'm thrilled with how it's coming along. It makes Android feel alive and responsive in a way Google has been working toward since Android 12, but that vision feels like it's finally 100% realized in Android 16. Now that I've experienced Google's new design language, I sorely miss not having it in One UI 8. Whether it's the lovely animations with notification cards or the recent apps page, the gorgeous blurred UI elements, or the enhanced haptic feedback throughout the interface, none of those elements from Android 16 QPR1 are present in One UI 8. And if you ask me, One UI 8 isn't nearly as enjoyable because of it. To be clear, none of this is surprising. Samsung has its own distinct software identity with One UI, and we knew the company wouldn't ditch it in favor of what Google has cooked up with Material 3 Expressive. Still, now that I've experienced how good Google's new design language is, I sorely miss not having it in One UI 8. A nice evolution for One UI Joe Maring / Android Authority Hot on the heels of an update as revolutionary as One UI 7, I can see some people looking at One UI 8 and finding it a bit boring. But that was always going to be the case. Samsung was never going to give us two back-to-back updates on that scale. Instead, One UI 8 is an evolution of what Samsung started with One UI 7, and if you ask me, it's (almost) everything this update should be. All the best changes from One UI 7 are still here. Samsung is making small but helpful tweaks to some of its first-party apps, and adding other Android 16 features to the mix, like improved multitasking, results in One UI 8 being a pretty solid update in my book. Would it be even better with Material 3 Expressive? Absolutely. But even without that, I'm happy to see where Samsung is headed with One UI 8.
GSM Arena
3 days ago
- Business
- GSM Arena
WhatsApp is testing a simple Logout option
WhatsApp is constantly working on new features, which are generally seen in beta versions before being released. That's also the case today, when some enterprising folks dug through the latest WhatsApp beta for Android and found an upcoming Logout option in Account settings. Once it goes live, when you tap it you'll be presented with two options - one of those will have you log out while also erasing all of your data and preferences, while the other will keep your data and preferences. WhatsApp Logout option in testing If you pick the route that will erase your data, it's basically just like uninstalling WhatsApp. It logs you out and deletes all app data and preferences, but doesn't remove you from groups. On the other hand, the option that won't erase data simply logs you out without touching anything else - your chats, group chats, data, and preferences will all be there waiting for you when you get back. You can then restore everything easily by simply signing in again with your phone number. So, with that in mind, this feature seems to be tailor made for those who want to take a short break from WhatsApp for whatever reason. The Logout option still shows an "Internal" badge which tells us that it's being actively tested internally in the WhatsApp development team. The next step should be a full beta release for everyone, followed of course by the stable release sometime after that. Source
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Older Galaxy Buds models get the deeper integration they deserve with One UI 8
Lil Katz / Android Authority TL;DR One UI 8 adds deeper integration for Samsung's older earbuds. Users can now control sound settings for their older Galaxy earbuds through Quick Settings. This tighter integration doesn't appear to work for the Galaxy Buds Live yet. When One UI 7 was released, it introduced a bevy of changes to Galaxy phones, including deeper Galaxy Buds integration to the Quick Settings panel. However, this integration only worked with the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Now it looks like this support is no longer exclusive to Samsung's latest earbuds with One UI 8. If you own a Galaxy S25 series device and are a part of the beta program, you should see the One UI 8 beta waiting for you. Samsung has now opened up testing in several countries, including the US. While checking out what changes One UI 8 brings to the table, we noticed the update adds deeper integration for older Galaxy Buds models. Instead of thumbing through layers of settings within the Galaxy Wearable app to adjust your sound modes, you can now access them by heading to the Quick Settings panel. Additionally, other controls have been added directly into your phone's Settings. Unfortunately, this support doesn't extend to all older models, as we have found that deeper integration has yet to be added for the Galaxy Buds Live. When the One UI 7 beta introduced audio controls to the revised Quick Settings panel, it was a surprise that there was only support for the Galaxy Buds 3 and Pro. It was assumed that Samsung would add support for older models in a later One UI 7 update. But it looks like we're finally getting the missing support in One UI 8. 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
WhatsApp may soon let you take a break without deleting your account (APK teardown)
Damien Wilde / Android Authority TL;DR WhatsApp may soon allow users to log out of their accounts on their phones. It could introduce a new 'Logout' option that temporarily disables WhatsApp without deleting user data or removing them from groups. Currently, WhatsApp only allows users to delete their account on their primary device. Although you can log out of your WhatsApp account on linked devices, the messaging app currently doesn't let you log out on your primary phone. It only gives you the option to delete your WhatsApp account, which clears all your data and removes you from all groups. The delete account option isn't ideal if you only want to disable WhatsApp on your phone temporarily. Thankfully, the chat app seems to have a better solution in the works. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. We've spotted an upcoming 'Logout' option in the latest WhatsApp beta release (version 2.25.17.37). As you can see in the attached screenshot, the option appears within the app's Account settings. Tapping on it opens a pop-up with two options that let you log out of your WhatsApp with or without erasing all data and preferences. The 'Erase all Data & preferences' option works exactly like uninstalling WhatsApp from your device. It logs you out of WhatsApp and deletes all app data and preferences, but doesn't remove you from groups. The 'Keep all Data & preferences' option is better if you want a short break from the messaging app, troubleshoot an issue, or switch accounts, as it simply logs you out of your current account. Your chats, group chats, data, and preferences remain untouched, and restore everything by signing back in with your phone number. The Logout option is likely being tested internally, as it shows an 'Internal' badge in the current WhatsApp beta release. We expect it to reach some users with a subsequent beta build before rolling out widely on the stable channel, so you might have to wait a while to try it out. 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.
Geeky Gadgets
3 days ago
- Business
- Geeky Gadgets
Samsung's NEXT BIG THING: One UI 8 Beta Arriving SOON!
Samsung is expected to launch the beta version of its One UI 8 very soon, offering users an exclusive opportunity to explore its latest mobile software advancements. This update introduces a range of features aimed at enhancing usability, personalization, and overall performance. With a focus on seamless operation and a modern design aesthetic, One UI 8 seeks to elevate the smartphone experience. Below is an in-depth exploration of the beta program and the key features it brings to users. Watch this video on YouTube. What Is the One UI 8 Beta Program? The One UI 8 beta program is Samsung's initiative to provide early access to its newest software developments. By participating, users can experience the latest features before the official release and contribute feedback to help refine the final product. This program highlights Samsung's dedication to a user-centric approach, making sure the software meets high standards of functionality and quality. Joining the beta program allows you to: Explore New Features: Gain firsthand experience with innovative tools and enhancements. Gain firsthand experience with innovative tools and enhancements. Provide Feedback: Share insights and suggestions to improve the final version. Share insights and suggestions to improve the final version. Stay Ahead: Be among the first to access Samsung's latest innovations. Key Features of One UI 8 One UI 8 introduces a variety of enhancements designed to improve the overall user experience. These updates span across design, usability, and performance, making sure a more intuitive and efficient interaction with your device. Below are the standout features: Revamped User Interface: A cleaner and more intuitive layout simplifies navigation and streamlines access to essential features. A cleaner and more intuitive layout simplifies navigation and streamlines access to essential features. Expanded Personalization: Advanced customization options, including dynamic wallpapers and widget configurations, allow you to tailor your device to your preferences. Advanced customization options, including dynamic wallpapers and widget configurations, allow you to tailor your device to your preferences. Performance Enhancements: Optimized algorithms improve app launch times, reduce power consumption, and enhance multitasking capabilities. Optimized algorithms improve app launch times, reduce power consumption, and enhance multitasking capabilities. Modern Design Aesthetic: Subtle animations, refined typography, and minimalist layouts contribute to a sleek, contemporary look. Enhanced Usability Through a Redesigned Interface One UI 8 introduces a redesigned interface aimed at improving everyday usability. The notification panel has been restructured to provide quicker access to key settings, reducing the time spent navigating menus. Additionally, the overall layout has been refined to create a more cohesive and visually appealing experience. These updates are designed to make your device more intuitive, making sure that essential functions are always within easy reach. Personalization: Make Your Device Truly Yours Customization is a central focus of One UI 8, offering users greater control over their device's appearance and functionality. Dynamic wallpapers now adapt to your surroundings, creating a visually engaging home screen. Widgets can be configured to align with your workflow, while new themes and color palettes allow for deeper personalization. These features enable you to design a smartphone experience that reflects your unique style and needs. Performance Optimizations for a Smoother Experience Samsung has prioritized performance improvements in One UI 8 to deliver a faster and more responsive user experience. Advanced algorithms ensure that apps launch more quickly, transitions are smoother, and multitasking is more efficient. Whether you're streaming videos, playing games, or managing multiple applications simultaneously, these optimizations aim to reduce lag and improve overall functionality. The result is a device that feels more capable and reliable, even during intensive use. Modern Design for a Polished Look The design philosophy behind One UI 8 emphasizes simplicity and elegance. Rounded icons, translucent effects, and harmonious color schemes create a polished interface that is both functional and visually appealing. Subtle animations and refined typography further enhance the user experience, aligning the software with current trends in mobile design. These updates not only improve usability but also contribute to a more enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing interaction with your device. How to Join the Beta Program If you're interested in exploring One UI 8, joining the beta program is a straightforward process. Here's what you need to know: Eligibility: Ensure you have a compatible Samsung device and download the Samsung Members app to register for the beta program. Ensure you have a compatible Samsung device and download the Samsung Members app to register for the beta program. Availability: The beta program is initially available in select regions, with plans for a broader rollout in the future. The beta program is initially available in select regions, with plans for a broader rollout in the future. Considerations: Keep in mind that beta software may include bugs or incomplete features. It is best suited for users comfortable with pre-release testing. By participating in the beta program, you can provide valuable feedback to Samsung, helping shape the final version of One UI 8. This collaborative process ensures that the software meets the needs and expectations of its users. Why One UI 8 Matters The Samsung One UI 8 beta represents a significant step forward in mobile software development. Its focus on usability, personalization, performance, and design demonstrates Samsung's commitment to delivering a superior user experience. By participating in the beta program, you not only gain early access to these advancements but also play a role in shaping the future of Samsung's mobile software. One UI 8 is a testament to the company's dedication to innovation and its ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of what a smartphone operating system can achieve. Check out more relevant guides from our extensive collection on Samsung One UI 8 that you might find useful. Source & Image Credit: Demon's Tech Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. 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