You might be waiting a while longer for Samsung’s Android 15 beta

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published July 29, 2024

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Orange and in Titanium Silver. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Today is all about dealing with software delays. First, there’s news that Apple users might have to wait a bit longer for Apple Intelligence to arrive with iOS 18 this fall. There’s also news that Samsung’s Android 15 beta may be later to release than we initially thought.

According to SamMobile, Samsung originally planned to release One UI 7 today. However, the release has been slightly delayed due to the public release of One UI 6.1.1 for the Galaxy S24 series.

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One UI 6.1.1 was initially released with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 earlier this month. The update primarily focuses on introducing new AI features to Samsung’s foldable phones while including some minor features that enhance productivity and media consumption experiences on Galaxy devices.

There’s no word on how long the One UI 7 beta delay will be.

When One UI 7 is finally released to beta testers or the public, it is expected to be a significant update. One anticipated change is a notable redesign of the camera user interface (UI). One potential change could involve moving all the main controls, such as camera modes, quick controls, and zoom shortcuts, to the bottom of the screen for easier access. Other shooting modes might be placed in a horizontal bar or a new pop-up menu.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S24 Ultra's screens in bright sunlight, showing differences in reflection. — Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (left) and Galaxy S24 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Moreover, Samsung plans to introduce a pill-shaped feature for system apps on the home screen, similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island. However, instead of placing this feature in the top center of the screen, it could be located on the left side of a phone’s notification area.

In One UI 7, you can expect more rounded design elements, smoother animations, and a two-page notification panel. This means there are separate dropdowns for notifications and quick settings, with notifications on the left and quick settings on the right.

One UI 7 will function as a companion for the soon-to-be-released Android 15. The Android 15 release is expected to conclude its beta testing phase soon and become available for Android devices shortly after. This update, which has been tested for several months, includes new features such as improved PDF experience, satellite connectivity, general design changes, and more.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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Mobile

Samsung’s One UI 7 beta is out today. Here are all the new features

A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Samsung has started the official rollout of the latest version of its One UI software for Galaxy smartphones, and there’s a very good chance you can try it out today. One UI 7 has been released as a beta version and is available for Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones in the U.S., the U.K., India, Korea, Germany, and Poland starting today, December 5. To try it out, you must sign up to join the beta program, but what features will you get if you do?
New design and simplified home screen
Samsung says One UI 7 has a “significant new look” and a “simple, impactful, and emotive design” that includes less clutter on the screen, new One UI widgets, and greater customization features to give you finer control over the look and function of the software. The home screen and the lock screen have been simplified, too.
Now Bar
The most intriguing new design feature in One UI 7 is the Now Bar. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait to try it out because it’s “set to be supported on upcoming Galaxy S series devices,” which means it’s probably not going to appear on the Galaxy S24 or earlier devices and won't be inside the beta version of the software you can try today.

The Now Bar is part of a new notification system that reduces the need to unlock your phone to view information or interact with notifications while also highlighting certain activities like music playback, the stopwatch, voice recording, and the AI Interpreter mode. Samsung claims the Now Bar will “transform the lock screen experience” and promises to support it with new features in the future. We may not get a look at the Now Bar until the Galaxy S25’s release, but it sounds a lot like Apple’s Dynamic Island and Live Activities features.
New Galaxy AI features

Mobile

You’re going to have to wait a while longer for Samsung’s first trifold phone

The Huawei Mate XT.

We already know quite a bit about Samsung's 2025 schedule. The company plans to launch the Samsung Galaxy S25 in January, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 later in the year. There have also been rumors of a trifold phone, and it seems like they might be more than rumors. Unfortunately, an insider says not to expect Samsung's first trifold until early 2026.

Ross Young commented on a post on X, stating that the suspected Galaxy trifold is more likely to launch in 2026. From a business perspective, the trifold gives Samsung an opportunity to draw in customers who want more real estate than anything in the current lineup offers.

Mobile

If you like Samsung’s Edge Panels, you may not like the One UI 7 update

Galaxy S23 back in hand.

You probably have at least 50 apps installed on your phone, if not significantly more — but you likely only use maybe 10 or so of those apps on a routine basis. Samsung's Edge Panels feature made it easy to access your most-used apps, but that feature is starting to go the way of the Dodo with the upcoming One UI 7 launch.

Samsung sent an email to users alerting them that Edge Panels will no longer work with the launch of One UI 7, and those users took to X to share the email. That said, it's not quite as straightforward as it might seem.