Samsung's One UI 9, built on Android 17, includes several exclusive tools not found on other Android devices, spanning device connectivity, security protections, and audio sharing features tied to Samsung's ownership of Harman Kardon, Denon, and JBL. These capabilities are also present in One UI 8.5 and the earlier One UI 8, meaning even older Samsung devices that don't upgrade to the newest software can still access them.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
DuckDuckGo publicly criticized Samsung for embedding a non-removable Google search bar on One UI 9 home screens, even for users who prefer other search engines. The bar, unlike a typical widget, cannot be long-pressed or dragged away, though Samsung does allow users to turn it off entirely through Home screen settings. The change builds on Android 17's revamped search widget system, which Motorola has also adopted.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-28
Speculation has circulated that Samsung might rename or replace its One UI software with something called Galaxy OS, but current reporting suggests this is unlikely in the near term. Samsung is actively rolling out One UI 9, which adds improved support for foldables and other device types and has been well received so far.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-25
Following Apple's unveiling of the iPhone Duo foldable, launching October 23, social media users have been using third-party apps and GitHub developer tools to recreate its cascading unfold animation on Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8. Samsung's One UI software, unlike Apple's iOS, does not include such a transition effect when switching between the cover and inner displays.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-10
Samsung has released version 6.6.18.22 of the Galaxy Store, relocating the Menu option from the top-left hamburger icon to the floating bottom bar. The bottom bar now holds four items: Apps, Games, My Galaxy, and Menu. The update is rolling out globally to Galaxy devices, including those running One UI 8.5 and One UI 9.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-29
Samsung has acknowledged a bug in its Home Up Good Lock module where backups fail and get deleted as "broken" if users have set custom folder label colors. A Samsung Community moderator confirmed the issue and said engineers are working on a fix that requires changes to the underlying code, to be released in a future update. In the meantime, users can revert folder label colors to default settings to create working backups.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-23
Samsung's One UI 9 Beta 7 for the Galaxy S26 series introduces a Netflix toggle inside Now Brief's content settings. When enabled, it displays a 'Top picks for you' card with Galaxy AI-curated movie suggestions directly in the Now Brief feed. The feature is also present in the stable One UI 9 release for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-28
Samsung has pushed One UI 9 Beta 7 to the Galaxy S26 lineup, quietly adding AI features first seen on the Galaxy Z8 foldables and Galaxy S26 FE. These include My FanCam video reframing, a Call Brief overlay that surfaces calendar and email info during calls, Custom Cards for Now Brief, and combined Finder plus Google Search widgets on the home screen.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-28
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 FE, priced $50 higher than its predecessor at $700 for 128GB and $800 for 256GB. The phone keeps a 12-megapixel selfie camera but widens its field of view, and it inherits several camera software tools from Samsung's pricier S26 and Z Flip 8, including Super Steady Video, My FanCam autoframing, and Audio Eraser noise removal that also works with Netflix and YouTube.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-27
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