What you need to know

• Samsung has started rolling out the June security update for various Galaxy phone series, including the latest Galaxy S25 models.
• It addresses 19 moderate-risk vulnerabilities and some high-risk semiconductor issues.
• The roll out seems to have begun with the Galaxy S21 FE phone and went all the way to the Galaxy S25 trio.

Samsung has been on the verge of rolling out One UI 8 betas lately, and on the other hand, the security patch for current devices also seems to be on point. The June update for most Galaxy phones, including the Galaxy S25 series, is here.

Samsung has begun rolling out (via 9to5Google) the June security update for its devices, including the Galaxy S25 series, the S24 series, and even the Galaxy S23 series. It is the usual monthly security patch, and the latest one is believed to have addressed 19 vulnerabilities from the previous firmware, although they aren't counted as critical ones; all of them are listed here.

The company also indicates that some semiconductor patches comprising some high-risk vulnerabilities seem to have been addressed with the latest security patch. Some of which address issues with apps that run on Android 13,14, and 15.

9to5 further notes that the newest firmware rollout has initially begun with the older Galaxy S21 FE and has gone all the way up to the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and the S25 Ultra models. The update also appears to be available for the Galaxy A36, A54, and A55 phones, too.

Users also have to bear in mind that the rollout seems to have just begun and is also believed to be slower than the previous monthly patches from the company.

One UI 8 in full swing

While Samsung had taken its sweet time rolling out the One UI 7 update for the Galaxy phones, the company doesn't intend to do so for the next iteration. With the next Galaxy Unpacked event anticipated to be just around the corner, Samsung appears to be reading the One UI 8 version as early as possible.

The tech giant has already released the second One UI 8 beta for Galaxy S25 devices alongside the more recent One UI 8 Watch rollout. For the unaware, Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy foldables, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and all new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, and also the Galaxy Watch 8 series, most likely next month.

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What you need to know

• A new leak of One UI 8 hints at a new "Listen Brief," an audio version of the "Now Brief" feature.
• The "Listen Brief" will probably allow users to choose between Samsung or Google text-to-speech engines and further offer playback controls.
• Beyond "Listen Brief," other recent One UI 8 leaks have also hinted at a private photo vault and integration with Google Gemini on Galaxy Watches, and a potential beta release later this month.

While Samsung still hasn’t stopped rolling out One UI 7 updates to older Galaxy models, new information reveals what to expect from the next operating system, One UI 8.

According to the latest APK teardown from the folks at Android Authority, new findings from One UI 8 firmware have revealed that Samsung is working on a Listen Brief button, which seems to be an enhancement over the existing Now Brief feature — introduced in One UI 7.

For the unaware, One UI 7’s Now Brief feature is a Galaxy AI-powered personalized summary of the day that showcases weather, other suggested content and actions that can be done during the day. While it is majorly text-based, new findings from One UI 8 firmware reveal that the company is working on a new “Listen Brief” button.

According to the publication, similar to Now Brief, the upcoming Listen Brief is notably an audio version of the same as it will also likely offer a summary of the user’s morning, afternoon, or evening — further including weather forecasts, calendar events, preferred news, and traffic updates.

An upgrade over the One UI 7's Now Brief?

Seemingly, the Listen Brief makes it more handy than the Now Brief already is as it eliminates the need to read long text summaries, which can be a useful feature for busy people on the go. It might also be a helpful accessibility feature for those who are visually impaired.

The hidden code from the One UI 8 firmware in the findings also indicates that users should be able to choose from either Samsung or Google’s text-to-speech engines. Further, they will also be able to play, pause, or stop the audio briefing, which means they could also expect playback controls for the Listen Brief functionality.

While Now Brief itself can be improved in so many ways with new incorporations, One UI 8 should likely bring them starting with the Listen Brief. Users have to also bear in mind that since the feature is currently being tested, it may or may not be seen in the final release of Samsung’s next notable operating system.

More One UI 8 Leaks

In other One UI 8-related news, the operating system should additionally bring some exciting new features, per the recently spotted and rumored features. The operating system is tipped to be bringing a secret vault for photos.

Also, new ‘Actions’ via Google Gemini were spotted in an alleged One UI 8 Watch leak. Notably, some of the Galaxy S25 series owners were the first ones to get the One UI 8 update early this month. Lastly, One UI 8 is also expected to be dropping later this month, according to the latest leak, or during the Galaxy Summer Unpacked.

For more news and information on Samsung’s upcoming foldables, check out our Ultimate Guide.

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What you need to know

• One UI 7 update is causing significant battery drain for Samsung Galaxy S24 and Z Fold 6 users.
• Users are experiencing rapid battery drain even during periods when the phone is not in use, requiring frequent charging.
• Some workarounds include clearing cache or waiting a week for usage pattern learning.

Several people have taken to Samsung forums and Reddit to report significant battery drain issues that are supposedly triggered by the new One UI 7 update. This has been seen specifically by Samsung Galaxy S24 series owners as well as some with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (first spotted by Android Police).

One UI 7 started rolling out more widely over the past couple of days after several delays and even a brief pause of the rollout by the company due to a 'serious bug.' However, the problems don't seem to end with this UI.

A Galaxy Fold 6 user on Reddit said that their battery capacity was basically cut by half following the One UI 7 update: "I now end the day with just 20%-25% battery, down from 45-50% before upgrading," they said.

The story remains the same with some Galaxy S24 Ultra users as well. They saw a huge drop in battery life since installing One UI 7. They stated that they lost close to 20% battery while the phone wasn't in use in less than three hours. Additionally, they're having to plug their phones in for charging more often than not.

While Samsung hasn't mentioned any such issues with the OS, some users suggest that clearing up cache could help the sitution, while others say that it is common for phones to act out during the first few days of the update. This could be because the device is leaning the user's usage pattern following the upgrade to One UI 7.

So the suggestion is to give your phone at least a week to settle in, before looking for ways to fix the battery issue. That said, if all else fails and you've passed the seven day mark, other users suggest factory resetting the device. While this sounds like a harsh workaround, it seems to have done the trick for many.

Android Central has reached out to Samsung about this and will update the article once we have more information.

What you need to know

• The Galaxy S24 Ultra in India and several other countries, including Egypt, Kenya, and Turkey, have started receiving the stable One UI 7 update.
• Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 users in India, South Africa, and Thailand, as well as T-Mobile and Verizon customers, are also getting the update.
• The rollout began on April 7 in Korea and April 10 in the U.S., with more regions now included after initial delays.

Samsung has again resumed the much-awaited One UI 7 stable release after putting a halt early last week. Although the company resumed by the end of the same week, more devices and older Galaxy handsets across regions are finally seeing the update.

While the Galaxy S25 series already shipped with One UI 7 and also received the recent April update, the predecessors were long overdue in getting the update. The company started rolling out the update early this month, with multiple delays, even pausing the update for a while, and resuming it again.

During the course, however, some regions like India and Germany haven't seen the update hit the Galaxy S24 series. And thankfully, this time, Galaxy S24 Ultra in India (including my handset) has finally seen the Android 15-based One UI 7 stable update today (Apr 23). It is a sizable 5.4GB update and it further includes the April security patch as well.

Not just India, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra users in Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, and more have started getting the update, per subreddits spotted by Android Authority. Further, several Galaxy S24 users on Reddit and Samsung Community have also confirmed the stable release, including handset owners on T-Mobile and Boost Mobile carriers.

Some Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 users in India, South Africa, and Thailand on X have also started sharing that they are getting the stable One UI 7 release, the publication further notes. According to SammyFans, the same goes for T-Mobile Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 owners, alongside Verizon customers in the U.S. of the foldables as well.

It is finally encouraging to see the most awaited One UI 7 finally rolling out to more Galaxy devices across regions, which as mentioned first began on April 7 in Korea followed by the users in the U.S. from April 10.

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What you need to know

• One UI 7 is finally here for Galaxy S23 users, starting in South Korea.
• The update includes April 2025 security patch and comes with build numbers like S918NKSU6DYD9.
• Other Galaxy devices are joining in, including the S24 FE, Tab S10 Plus, Tab S9 series, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5.

After a bit of a wait, the final version of One UI 7 is finally making its way to Galaxy S23 devices, though for now, it’s only rolling out in South Korea.

The stable One UI 7 update is now hitting Galaxy S23 units in South Korea, specifically for those who were part of the beta test, as per SamMobile. Chances are, Samsung is sticking to its usual playbook globally, giving beta testers first dibs on the stable version before rolling it out to the rest of the crowd.

The latest update for the Galaxy S23 lineup comes with build numbers S918NKSU6DYD9, S918NOKR6DYD9, and S918NKSU6DYD9. If you were part of the beta crew, the update is a light 1GB download. But if you sat out the beta, expect a heftier 5GB package. Furthermore, it also packs the April 2025 security patch.

More devices joining

In addition to the Galaxy S23 series, tipster Tarun Vats over on X says the One UI 7 OTA update is also hitting the Galaxy S24 FE, Tab S10 Plus, Tab S9 series, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5 in South Korea.

The Now Bar is a game-changer

One UI 7 marks a major leap forward, packing in tons of fresh features. The new Now Bar alone changes how you interact with your Galaxy. This always-visible dashboard keeps your music, recordings, timers, and other active tools literally at your fingertips, while deeper customization options finally let you make your phone feel truly personal.

On top of that, One UI 7 brings a full-on home screen makeover. We’re talking fresh app icons, a sleeker quick panel, a brand-new default font, a bunch of new One UI widgets, and a bunch of other visual and usability upgrades to tie it all together.

With the stable release now live, Samsung has officially wrapped up the One UI 7.0 Beta Program for the Galaxy S23 series. If you're in South Korea and rocking an S23, just head to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check if it’s ready for you.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week was rough for those dealing with Samsung and its One UI 7 rollout, OnePlus 13T gets shown off ahead of launch, April's update patch brought fun features to the Galaxy S25 series, more news on the OnePlus Watch Mini, and Nothing teases its CMF Phone 2 Pro. Let's get into it.

Samsung's One UI 7 is back

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*Sigh* where do we begin?

The joy of unwrapping your favorite chocolate, breathing in the scent, only for it to be snatched away while you try to take a bite... this is exactly what Samsung users felt this week. However, the wait for One UI 7 appears to be short-lived, as several users in Korea have reported seeing the update reappear on their phones after a brief pause.

An avid tipster, Tarun Vats, shared a screenshot of the build number indicating that One UI 7 with the build number vS928NKSU4BYD9 is being rolled out to the Galaxy S24 series in Korea. It seems like the updated One UI 7 build is ~292 MB. Much smaller than the originally launched 5GB download, so this might jump slightly for those who never got it to begin with.

Samsung first rolled out its One UI 7 between April 7-10, then later pulled the plug on the firmware after reports of a bug that was affecting the new update. Now that it's rolling out again, we expect more countries to receive the update in the coming weeks.

OnePlus shows off its 13T days before launch

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OnePlus seems super invested in marketing its mini OnePlus 13, aka the OnePlus 13T, the right way. The company took to Weibo to post an official trailer of the OnePlus 13T, showcasing it from all angles possible. The caption read, "Small screen, big devil. OnePlus 13T is officially unveiled!" The device is said to show up in three colorways dubbed Cloud Ink Black, Morning Mist Gray, and Heartbeat Pink (Black, Silver, and Pink).

The company states that the 13T is small enough to be held between the thumb and index finger, mimicking the "OK" hand gesture, implying that the device is as compact as it can get. This device is expected to show up with an all-new camera island and a shortcut button that replaces the alert slider.

As for the specs, it will allegedly show up with a 6.31-inch OLED screen with "1.5K" resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The phone is said to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, just like the OnePlus 13. The device will sport two powerful cameras: a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The phone is said to come with a huge 6,200 mAh battery that will be boosted by 80W wired charging support.

The launch is set for April 24.

April update brings Now Bar enhancements for Galaxy S25 users

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Samsung rolled out its monthly update to its Galaxy S25 users earlier this week. This patch came with enhancements to the camera, charging, and software stability. The users in South Korea seemed to have received this update first, and it came with the S938NKSU2AYD9 build number.

This new update brought in a design change within the status bar. Users were surprised to see that a new media playback widget had popped up in the notifications bar. This means that when you're playing music or streaming movies, you will see a widget to control above your notifications, which will also show up as a live widget on the Now Bar. This will give you more playback control within the home screen.

While we wait for this update to show up in other regions, users are encouraged to check for this update via Settings> Software update> and click Download and Install.

More evidence of the OnePlus Watch 3 Mini leaks

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Earlier this week, the OnePlus Watch 3 mini seems to have shown up in an FCC listing. Measuring about 43mm, this new watch will likely be sleeker than the OnePlus Watch 3 and will allegedly have a 345mAh battery capacity.

That said, the FCC certification also shows images of a possible rotating crown on the upcoming watch. As for the specs, we assume that the Watch 3 Mini will have the same configurations as the Oppo Watch X2 Mini, which was announced last week with the exact same 345mAh capacity and an estimated 3-day battery life. It sports a 1.32-inch AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and 2,200 nits of brightness.

We could expect something similar on the OnePlus Watch 3 Mini as well. So much so that prominent leaker Abhishek Yadav (via Techradar) suggested last week that the "Oppo Watch X2 Mini will launch as a rebadged OnePlus Watch 3 Mini in India and globally."

Motorola Razr leaks keep coming

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We are almost nearing launch, and the Motorola Razr Plus 2025 leaks keep pouring in. And this time, it claims that the phone will come with hardware upgrades.

The first claim is that the phone will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, which would provide the Razr with a significant power boost if true. Additionally, the rumor suggests that the device will feature a slightly larger 7-inch Super HD foldable screen, rather than the 6.9-inch one on its predecessor. The cover display is also rumored to be larger this time, measuring about four inches.

Furthermore, the foldable's selfie camera gets a massive upgrade as well, jumping to a 50MP lens instead of the same 32MP, f/2.4 lens that its predecessor. Lastly, it could get a 4,7000mAh battery paired with 68W wired fast charging (a huge boost) and 30W wireless charging capabilities.

If these rumors are true, Motorola is definitely bringing the heat with its foldables, giving Samsung's next lineup a much-needed competition. That said, Other changes include the foldable's front-facing selfie camera.

The phone is expected to launch on April 24.

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• Android 12 and 12L have received their last official Google security update
• A One UI 8 leak purports a key feature expansion and 'minor' adjustments
• Google quietly confirmed Google Assistant's days on Fitbit watches are numbered
• Nothing's CMF Buds 2 are now available, as it teases the CMF Phone 2 Pro
• Honor's close Google Cloud partnership preps users for a new life with AI
• Android 16 could bring Identity Check to more smartphones
• Google Search is getting a unified domain for US and global users
• Gemini's rumored automated tasks might borrow from the competition
• Gemini on Wear OS should stick to the Assistant status quo, mostly
• Google tests a new home for AI Mode in its Search bar for Android app users

What you need to know

• Samsung's One UI 7 rollout has resumed for the Galaxy S24 in South Korea as of today (April 17).
• The continuation features a brand new build after Samsung was forced to suspend One UI 7 shortly after its April 10 debut in the U.S. and Europe.
• The major OS upgrade suffered from a "serious bug" that reportedly impact Galaxy S24 users' ability to unlock their phones.

Samsung's Android 15-based OS upgrade is reportedly returning for users in one region today (Apr. 17).

A post on X by Tarun Vats is drawing awareness to One UI 7's rollout restart for the Galaxy S24 series (via SamMobile). Users expecting the update globally may have to wait a while longer (still) as Vats states the build was spotted in South Korea. However, what users should look out for is build vS928NKSU4BYD9 for the Galaxy S24 series whenever it hits your device.

Interestingly, the provided screenshot details the updated One UI 7 build is ~292MB. It's likely the smaller size will impact those who received the massive upgrade before Samsung's pause. The update originally launched with a 5GB download, so this might jump slightly for those who never got it to begin with.

Of course, it's worth keeping your eyes peeled as we finish the week. With One UI 7's resuming in South Korea, it's likely global regions will see it in mid-April next week.

Troublesome Times

One UI 7's rollout started on time on April 10 for users in the U.S. and Europe for the Galaxy S24 series. Alongside the past-gen slab phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 were included, similar to how Samsung worked its rollout in Korea. However, Galaxy user excitement dwindled severely once the Korean OEM paused the update following a "serious bug."

Samsung pulled the patch four days later on April 14 after it identified a critical issue with its software. A tipster reported that the bug gave some Galaxy S24 users problems with unlocking their devices. Samsung not only suspended its rollout in the U.S. and Europe, but also in China and Vietnam, to name a couple more.

Samsung then informed Android Central it's been forced to update its One UI 7 rollout schedule to better reflect the times.

Speaking of, one person on Reddit seems to have discovered what this new schedule could be, following a supposed Samsung Members app notification. The alert reportedly states One UI 7 should be available for the Galaxy S24, Flip 6, and Fold 6 in April. A few other older devices could begin seeing it in May.

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What you need to know

• The April update for the Galaxy S25 series includes enhancements to camera, charging, and software stability.
• A new media widget notification is introduced, allowing for easy media control in the notification shade.
• The update is initially available in Korea, with a global rollout anticipated soon.

Samsung has started rolling out an April update to its flagship Galaxy S25 series this week, and interestingly, it comes mid-way through the month, while older Galaxy phones still await the One UI 7 update in some regions, including India.

The monthly update is being observed for the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra models (via SamMobile). The update seems to be live in the Korean region with the S938NKSU2AYD9 build number. It further includes improvements to the camera, charging, and general software stability. However, the notable change is seen in the media widget notification in the status bar.

Samsung introduced the Now Bar pill for certain apps with One UI 7 on the Galaxy S25 series, which can be quickly glanced at on the lock screen alongside the status bar. The latest update will be introducing media widget notification for the Galaxy S25 series, which for some reason has been missing on the flagship trio, notes SamMobile — while it was added for older Galaxy phones that received the One UI 7 update recently.

The new pill-shaped media play button will reside in the notification shade right beside the time on the Galaxy S25 series. Alternatively, it can also be seen in the notifications pane. When the live widget in the status bar is clicked, more prominent play controls pop up for easy control on the home screen.

While the latest update is currently confined to the Korean region, a wider rollout is expected soon. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 series in the region is recommended to navigate to their phone Settings> Software update> and click Download and Install to check for the latest update.

On the other hand, the much-anticipated One UI 7 update for older devices like the Galaxy S24 series in some regions seems to have been pulled from servers as the firmware notably had a serious bug. The initial rollout began on April 7 in Korea, followed by the U.S. and U.K., however, other major markets like India have still been left out at the moment.

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After months of delays, Samsung finally rolled out the stable One UI 7 update to Galaxy S24 phones globally starting April 7 — only to pause the update just a week later. The latest delay has to do with a bug that prevented Galaxy S24 users from unlocking their phones. While it looks like the issue was predominantly affecting units in Samsung's home market, the manufacturer paused the global rollout just to be on the safe side.

It's frustrating that Samsung is continuing to run into issues on the stable One UI 7 build, considering the brand ran a lengthy four-month beta testing program that was meant to iron out these problems. I understand the need to be cautious with these things — particularly if it affects something as basic as unlocking a phone — but Samsung should have done a better job addressing these issues well before it got to the stable release.

I reached out to Samsung for a statement regarding the delay, and the brand noted that the "rollout schedule is being updated to ensure the best possible experience." In typical Samsung fashion, it didn't answer what caused the delay, when the update might start going out to phones again, and what it is doing to prevent any additional roadblocks.

Thankfully, there are no issues on devices where One UI 7 comes pre-installed. The Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, and A56 debuted with the Android 15-based build, and having used the software on the A56 extensively, I didn't run into any bugs or crashes. It's clear that all the lingering issues have to do with upgrading phones running One UI 6 and older to the latest iteration of the software.

As to why that's the case, Samsung made considerable changes to One UI 7; as I outlined in my review, the update is packed with new features, including a cleaner visual design, vertical app drawer, split notification pane, overhauled camera interface, better image and video editing features, changes to battery management, security updates, and a suite of new AI additions.

While Samsung used a point release last year to integrate some of these changes — debuting One UI 6.1.1 down the line — it is bundling all the new features into a single release with One UI 7, and that may have also contributed to the extended beta testing program and incessant delays with the stable rollout.

Samsung wouldn't confirm when it would resume rolling out One UI 7 to Galaxy S24 devices globally, nor would it say when users in India might receive the update. While the update started going out to phones in South Korea, U.S., U.K., and select western markets, Samsung India didn't even announce plans to deliver One UI 7 to customers using its flagships in the country yet.

In a similar vein, there's no telling when Samsung's older mid-range phones might get the update — with global Galaxy S24 units and Z Fold 6 yet to make the switch, it will be a considerable wait before Samsung's 2024 and older devices make the move to One UI 7. While I like the update as such, the constant delays and bugs is reminiscent of the OxygenOS 12 debacle — albeit with greater consequences.

[Update 4/15 1:30 pm]: Samsung told Android Central in an email that the "rollout schedule (for One UI 7) is being updated to ensure the best possible experience." However, the Korean OEM gave us no reason for pausing the firmware's rollout.

What you need to know

• One UI 7 rollout seizes globally as Samsung tackles a 'serious bug,' according to prominent tipster IceUniverse.
• Samsung hasn't put out an official statement about the matter as yet, but several people have spotted the firmware being pulled out of OTA servers.
• We currently have no information on when the rollout is set to begin again.

Samsung users' happiness knew no bounds as the One UI 7 finally started rolling out last week. But this feeling was very short-lived. The Korean OEM seems to have stalled the rollout of its stable One UI 7, which became available to people in the U.S. only four days ago.

According to a new leak that surfaced on Sunday (April 13), avid Tipster IceUniverse took to X (prev. Twitter) to give their followers some bad news. In the post, they stated that after the firmware was pushed in Korea on April 10, the company seemed to have identified a "serious bug," which led to the company suspending One UI 7's rollout globally.

IceUniverse also stated that the bug is causing some Korean Galaxy S24 users to see issues with unlocking their devices once they updated to the new firmware.

Looks like the One UI 7 Saga continues, this is the first time that Samsung delayed the rollout of its firmware and after pushing out several Beta versions and testing it out for months on end, the firmware finally reached devices in Korea on April 7, and Samsung jotted down a global roll-out program that reached other countries by the end of May.

The first ones to see this software update pop up on their phones are those with either the Galaxy S24 series or the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, much like how the rollout happened in Korea.

But now, according to another tipster TarunVats, the firmware build has been nowhere to be seen on OTA servers since this weekend. He also states that Samsung took down the One UI 7 update scheduled for Vietnam from its newsroom web app.

Samsung has yet to put out an official statement on the situation, however, as of now, we have no timeline as to when the One UI 7 will be available for download again. However, according to AC staff who have this build on their phones, they've experienced no issues whatsoever since the update last week. "New expandable widgets, new notification behavior, etc all seem to be fine," said AC's Jeremy Kaplan, who owns a Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Lastly, other devices that were set to see the One UI 7 build later this month and in May, might see a delay in rollout as well. This includes the Galaxy Z Fold 4/ Flip 4/ 3, Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, A34, A35, S22/ S21 series, and the Tab S9/S8 series.

While we have no information on additional issues this bug could be causing, it seems like a major hiccup in the whole firmware rollout process. Android Central has reached out to Samsung about this and we will update this article once we have more information.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week Google lays off hundreds of employees in its Android and Pixel teams, Google Pixel 10 series prices leak, Motorola drops a slick Razr 2025 teaser, One UI 7 finally reaches more hands, and Galaxy Z Fold 7 could come One UI8 and a much needed upgrades. Let's dive in then, shall we?

Google laysoff hundreds, again

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Google is at it again. This time it laid off hundreds of employees from the Platforms and Devices unit on Thursday, April 10. This comes after the company has been pushing several employees to take voluntary exits for the past few months.

A source with direct knowledge of the situation said that people working within the Android platform, Pixel phones, and the Chrome browser teams have been impacted by these layoffs.

In a statement to the publication, the tech giant said that since they combined the Android and Pixel teams last year, they've focused on, "becoming more nimble and operating more effectively." The Google spokesperson also stated that these cuts are in addition to the voluntary exit program the company offered to its employees in January.

Pixel 10 series tipped to see varied pricing

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A recent leak online claims that some Pixel models' pricing will change every year for the Google Pixel flagship series, while the others will stay at the same price point, at least until 2028.

It states that within the Pixel 10 series, the standard, and smaller Pro models will hold the same prices from the previous year, it looks like the Pixel Pro XL will see a $ $100 price bump. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will allegedly get a $200 reduction in its price, bringing its price tag to $1,600 which is in line with a previous rumor we spotted earlier this month.

Next up is the A-series, or Google's budget devices. Android Headlines claims that the Pixel 10a will be sold at the same $499 price point as the Pixel 9a. Furthermore, the company will reportedly stick to the same price until 2028 with the Pixel 12a.

However, these are still leaks and need to be taken with a grain of salt. In a separate Reddit post, someone from Android Headlines said that they've seen the pricing for Pixel 10, 11, 12, and 13 series, but “it’s all subject to change” and that “everything is a rumor until the company announces it lol.”

Motorola Razr 2025 is coming soon

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Motorola dropped a quick video on X teasing the launch of its next clamshell —the Razr 2025 earlier this week (Apr. 10). In a 10-second clip, Motorola showed off three foldables, each device sporting a different color, with a tagline "Make it iconic," with the launch date— April 24 at the end.

While the teaser doesn't give us much when it comes to the look of the phones, it seems Motorola is sticking with dual cameras on the cover display. The cover screen is also expected to fully cover the front like it has over the past couple of generations.

Motorola delivers its latest teaser, describing its new clamshell as, "When the ordinary flips to the extraordinary."

The most recent Motorola Razr 2025 leak, which seemingly left nothing to the imagination, states that the phones will retain the design language the company has provided for the past few generations. That means a full 4-inch cover display and a 6.9-inch pOLED foldable display for the Plus model. The Plus is also rumored to receive Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC.

One UI 7 is finally here

Read more here and here.

Samsung's stable One UI 7 has launched this week and reached eligible devices in Korea, U.S. and Europe. After a long wait and several beta versions, the company has finally rolled out a stable OS to its users.

The update first showed up in Korea, and U.S. and Europe users had to wait an additional three days, for the stable build of Samsung's One UI 7. According to several users on a subreddit post, Samsung has started rolling out the OS more widely today (April. 10) as promised in the company's rollout strategy announcement last month.

The first ones to see this software update pop up on their phones are those with either the Samsung S24 series phones or the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, much like how the rollout happened in Korea.

One UI 7 brings several changes to the notification panel, Now Bar, live notifications, camera improvements, and more. To check if your phone has received the One UI 7 update, head to Settings > Software Update > Check for updates.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 rumored to get One UI 8

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A recent leak popped up on X claiming that Samsung's next foldable the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will come with much needed upgrades. According to @TheGalox_ on X, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could show up with an upgraded under-display camera and a tougher screen built with some fresh layered materials.

And that's not all, the leak claims that the device will show up with Samsung's One UI 8, and the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. powering the device. Additionally, hardware-wise, the main foldable screen could stretch to 8 inches, with the cover display hitting 6.5 inches.

For comparison, the Z Fold 6 sports a 7.6-inch inner screen and a 6.3-inch outer one. Even its main camera could get a massive bump to 200MP. The leak states that the company could be working on making this phone much more thinner and durable than its predecessor.

For more news and information on Samsung’s upcoming foldables, check out our Ultimate Guide.

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• OnePlus Watch 3 releases with a hefty price tag in the US and we don't know why
• ByteDance reportedly working on a pair of AI smart glasses to challenge Meta
• First look at the Pixel Watch 4 leaks and we are nothing but impressed
• Google Pixel's April security update fixes its troublesome screen flicker
• Google releases new Android System updates with battery life improvements
• Xiaomi prepares developers for Android 16 with a preview on 'select' devices
• Google Messages will soon use color to differentiate RCS and SMS, MMS users
• Here's how Google is shaking up the A-series lineup following Pixel 9a launch
• The Apple Maps web client beta now runs on Android phone browsers
• Leak says Motorola has a pair of earbuds and a new Watch on the way

What you need to know

• The stable version of the One UI 7 has finally started rolling out to eligible Galaxy users in both the U.S. and Europe.
• Samsung Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 users are the first ones to see the update pop up in their settings.
• The One UI 7 is expected to roll out to more devices in the coming weeks.

Samsung's One UI 7 Saga is one for the books. After a long wait and several beta versions, the company has finally rolled out a stable OS to its users.

U.S. and Europe users who had to wait an additional three days, for the stable build of Samsung's One UI 7 can finally breathe easy. According to several users on a subreddit post, Samsung has started rolling out the OS more widely today (April. 10) as promised in the company's rollout strategy announcement last month.

The first ones to see this software update pop up on their phones are those with either the Samsung S24 series phones or the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, much like how the rollout happened in Korea.

Several users have been waiting with bated breath for this UI to drop since they saw some of its fun features pop up in beta versions of the OS. The build has rolled out on a larger scale but it seems to be rolling out to beta users first.

The highly anticipated Android 15-based One UI 7 update, seems to be around 5.2GB in size and comes with Samsung's April security patch. With this update, Samsung promises to take its AI experience to the next level. Giving users enhanced writing tools, image generation and more.

To check if your phone has received the One UI 7 update, head to Settings > Software Update > Check for updates.

What to expect from the One UI 7

For starters, AC's Harish Jonnalagadda is calling this, Samsung's best software update yet and for good reason. Right off the bat, once the OS is downloaded and ready to go, users can see the change with the Notification panel. Samsung has now split the controls with the toggles sitting on one side, and the notifications on the other. But this can be customized to a "unified-panel" with all the controls together.

The One UI 7 brings with it a vertically-scrolling app drawer, ditching the horizontal app drawer. Other than that, this update brings the belowed "Now Bar," the pill- shaped bar at the botoom of your lock screen that shows media controls, timer, recorder, navigation, and other ongoing actions.

Other features include Live Notifications that show up on the status bar, the camera interface also seems to have got a fresh coat of paint making it much more organized, among others. Here's a full list of what you can expect once you've successfully updated your phone to the latest One UI 7.

Lastly, Samsung is said to expand its software update to older eligible devices (Galaxy Z Fold 4/ Flip 4/ 3, S23 FE, A34, A35, S22/ S21 series, Tab S9/S8 series, A16) by May.

The update has rolled out to some of AC's staff in the U.S. who own a Galaxy S24 series device. So if you aren't seeing an update pop up on your phones as yet, don't worry as the rollout seems to be happening in phases.

There was a time when every new Android release brought considerable UI changes and feature additions. However, it didn't lead to a consistent user experience, so brands have focused on that area over the years. Samsung in particular doesn't make many changes to One UI, eschewing constant change for familiarity.

That's what makes the One UI 7 update that much more notable; this is Samsung's biggest UI overhaul in a while, and it delivers an overall aesthetic that's cleaner, more modern, and more customizable than ever before.

Samsung clearly had issues managing the scale of the changes — most of its flagships still haven't received the Android 15-based update — but it is undeniable that One UI 7 heralds a new era in Samsung's software vision.

I started with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 on the Galaxy S4, and used every subsequent version of Samsung's interface released over the last decade, including all One UI iterations. Here's what I think of One UI 7, and why I believe it is a pivotal update for Samsung's devices.

One UI 7 gets a much-needed UI overhaul

Samsung overhauled the interface with One UI 7, and it is a positive move overall. The interface now looks cleaner and has better colors throughout, and it is cohesive.

Samsung tweaked the icon design as well, and the icons have better gradation and look a little more elegant. There's better customizability in this area as well, with One UI 7 allowing you to adjust icon sizes and disable text labels (finally).

Widgets are cleaner too, and the changes to the design make using One UI 7 that much more enjoyable. That said, Samsung maintained the right balance; while the UI looks modern, it's still immediately familiar.

Samsung didn't make wholesale changes to how you interact with the interface; instead, it updated elements that started showing their age.

Some of the design tweaks are motivated by iOS, and there's no getting around that — most Android brands are guilty of this. However, the implementation differs from that on an iPhone 16, and Samsung did a good job of "borrowing" some elements and integrating them into its own interface.

A smaller update concerns the battery: the icon in the status bar has a cleaner, pill-shaped design, but what I like most is that it displays the percentage within the icon.

This was a bugbear on One UI 6.1.1 as the percentage sat outside the icon, so it's good to see Samsung making this move.

Another small tweak concerns enlarged folders. This is something that ColorOS and MagicOS do really well, and Samsung is now aiming to follow suit. With bigger folders, you don't need to open a folder to launch an app inside it, which is highly convenient.

There's a new Game Booster that lets you tweak settings in individual titles to maximize efficiency or performance, and it makes a difference. Galaxy AI continues to be a differentiator, and Samsung is building out a decent set of utilities in this area.

The UI has better optimization, and that, in turn, means you get better fluidity even on mid-range devices like the Galaxy A56, where this has been a constant problem with previous iterations.

That said, it doesn't quite have the same level of fluidity as ColorOS on the Find X8 Pro or even Xiaomi's latest software running on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, but it is a decent change in the context of Samsung phones.

One UI 7 has a split notification pane

The biggest difference in One UI 7 concerns the notification pane: Samsung now uses a split shade, with the toggles on one side and the notifications on the other.

This is similar to iOS' Control Center, and most Chinese brands are also using a similar system. The pane isn't fully opaque, and it does a good job highlighting the background colors.

Thankfully, you can switch back to a unified pane if that's what you prefer. While that's what I usually do on most Android phones, I found myself liking the split pane quite a bit.

You get a greater number of controls in the toggles section, and a pull-down gesture anywhere on the screen surfaces the notification shade — to get to the toggles, you'll need to pull down from the top right corner.

The split pane shows volume control in addition to the standard brightness slider, and you get the usual smart home device controls and Modes (now dubbed Routines). You can switch between notifications and toggles by swiping left or right, and Samsung did all the right things in this regard.

Samsung actually added a vertically-scrolling app drawer

What I like the most about One UI 7 is the introduction of a vertically-scrolling app drawer. Samsung was the only holdout to still use a horizontal app drawer, and it was constantly frustrating whenever I used one of its phones.

I had to use Good Lock to switch to a vertically-scrolling drawer, and that was usually one of the first things I changed on Samsung's devices.

With One UI 7, though, you don't need to go that route; the drawer scrolls vertically as standard, and it is a minor change that makes a big difference in usability — particularly if you're like me and have plenty of apps installed.

Another positive change is the positioning of the search bar within the drawer; it is now located at the bottom, and that makes it easier to pull up.

Now Bar provides contextual info in One UI 7

Just like every other manufacturer, Samsung is emulating iOS' Dynamic Island, but because the Korean brand has to be different, its implementation is unlike that of any other device. The feature is dubbed Now Bar and shows media controls, a timer, a recorder, navigation, and other ongoing actions in a pill-sized box at the bottom of the lock screen.

You can interact with these actions without waking the screen, and I used it to good effect to control music playback in YouTube Music. Samsung has a secondary option called Live Notifications that sits in the status bar, and they do a similar thing — you can control music playback and other actions by selecting the icon.

Unlike most devices, these notifications aren't centered around the camera cutout, but sit to a side in the status bar. ColorOS does a better job handling these notifications, and Samsung needs to tweak the design a little bit in this area.

The Overview menu is much better in One UI 7

Samsung also changed the overview menu, and it has much better usability. Instead of one card dominating the view, you get a Rolodex-like design that lets you preview cards in the background, and it is a much-needed change. The scrolling action when going through the recents menu is smoother as well.

Thankfully, Samsung hasn't changed the option to launch split-screen mode via the Overview menu. You can still press an app icon and switch to split-screen mode effortlessly, and this is another small area where One UI has an advantage over its Android rivals.

One UI 7 gets a brand-new camera interface

Along with the rest of the interface, Samsung cleaned up the camera UI, and it is much better organized. The shooting modes have been moved to the bottom of the viewfinder, and it's easier to switch between modes with your thumb. Most of the toggles and filters are hidden behind a settings button, keeping the interface much less cluttered.

Alongside better controls, you get good editing tools, and like every other brand, Samsung is leveraging AI to be the differentiator.

Better battery controls, higher drain

I used the One UI 7 beta builds in the past, and there was a noticeable decrease in battery life over One UI 6.1.1 on the S24 Plus. This is still the case when I used the stable One UI 7 build on the Galaxy A56.

The phone didn't last quite as long as its immediate rivals with equivalent batteries, so it's clear that Samsung needs to make additional tweaks to improve battery efficiency.

Samsung lags behind other Android brands regarding battery tech, both in charging and in its willingness to switch to silicon-carbide tech to deliver higher density. But what I like is that battery protection is better in One UI 7; you can now set a charging limit and customize it between 80% and 95%, giving you much greater flexibility.

One UI 7 is slowly making its way to the best Samsung phones

Samsung is usually good with updates, but that just hasn't been the case with One UI 7. As of April 9, my Galaxy S24 Plus still hasn't received the stable One UI 7 build, and it is the only 2024 flagship that hasn't made the switch to Android 15.

Samsung clearly had challenges in getting the Android 15 build out the door, and it will only take longer for the brand's budget and mid-range devices to switch to the latest version of Android.

With Google accelerating the Android 16 launch, Samsung's delay means most of its devices will pick up Android 15 just as the next version of Android becomes available.

One UI 7 is a great overall update

A good update is one where a brand introduces meaningful additions while retaining the core feature set, and Samsung did a great job nailing that balance with One UI 7. The changes to the design bring a level of vibrancy and dynamism to the interface and improve fluidity on mid-range devices.

The fundamentals are unchanged, so if you're used to call recording in the dialer, Samsung Internet, Samsung Messages, and the brand's unique customization options, those are still just as good as previous iterations of the interface.

Ultimately, the only problem with One UI 7 is just how long it is taking to roll out to the best Samsung phones. But having used it for a while now, I can say that it is worth the wait.

Big updates can be a mixed bag. Sometimes, you'll get a great new feature that becomes an indispensable part of your everyday life. Other times, your favorite feature might get removed, never to see the light of day until 10 years later when something old becomes new again.

Case in point is widgets, a major feature of Android 1.0 that saw a significant decline in popularity after Google got rid of lock screen widgets in Android 5. But, as expected, what's old is new again. With the release of Samsung's One UI 7, lock screen widgets are becoming cool again. So much so, in fact, that Google's latest Android Developers blog post focuses on how important widgets are for user engagement. Imagine that.

We first saw the groundwork being laid for lock screen widgets in a beta build of Android 14, followed by a full rollout of the feature on the Google Pixel Tablet last September. More phones will be getting the feature with a quarterly update of Android 16, but Samsung is beating everyone else to the punch by including it on every device that has access to One UI 7 this year.

Faster, better, prettier

Google's renewed interest in widgets really started to pop on the Pixel 9 last year when it launched a redesigned Pixel Weather app, which prominently featured widgets of all kinds. These widgets weren't just gorgeous looking; they also made it easy to see and understand a plethora of data at a glance.

While you can't break these widgets out of the app and place them individually on your home screen or lock screen (classic Google), many other apps are starting to take widgets more seriously, and Google Play is adapting. Developers can now show their app widgets right on the Play Store listing, and users can search specifically for apps that include widgets by using a handy filter.

I use widgets every single day to quickly take notes or access individual notes, control media playback with a dedicated YouTube Music widget, search Google with text or visually with the Google widget, check my weekly meal plan with Our Groceries, quickly start by Roborock robot vacuum routines with a tap, and scroll through my calendar without having to find the app first.

But what I'm really interested in now is relearning how to use lock screen widgets again. These died in the Android 5 days when biometrics were becoming more commonplace as people stopped using their lock screens in favor of unlocking straight to the home screen. Things have changed, though, and we've learned to like our lock screens again.

Having separate widgets on the lock screen gives us one more surface to custom-tailor our day, and I know exactly what's going to be on there. That dedicated YouTube Music widget will always be on the lock screen, so I don't have to wonder if the OS is smart enough to know what I want.

A dedicated flashlight button alongside a handful of smart home toggles will await a single press from my thumb for activation, and a quick glance at the Strava health data from my OnePlus Watch 3 will keep me motivated to get moving. Oh, and don't forget the quick voice memo button in Google Keep that makes it handy to take a note at any time.

Meanwhile, my home screen will be reserved for more sensitive data like actual, scrollable notes, a quick glance at the latest emails and messages that just came in, as well as a little photo frame filled with my favorite memories. Widgets are wonderful, and I'm beyond delighted to see Google start caring about them again, especially in a day in age when Good Lock makes it easy to fully customize the living crap out of my home and lock screens!

What you need to know

• Samsung has begun the stable One UI 7 rollout for Galaxy S24, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 users who are using beta and non-beta versions of the operating system.
• The update weighs around 5.2GB and includes new features, improvements, and Galaxy AI innovations, along with the latest April security patch.
• Older models like the Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Fold 4/Flip 4/3, S24 FE, and S23 FE, are expected to receive the update next month.

'Tis One UI 7 rollout day (Apr 7)! Samsung has kept its promise and begun rolling out the stable build for Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 users in Korea and other regions.

According to Tarun Vats via his X post, Samsung has released the stable One UI 7 for Galaxy S24 users first, who were already on the beta version in Korea. These are supposedly the build numbers for the trio-bearing F956NKSU2BYCK/ F956NOKR2BYCK/ F956NKSU2BYCG versions. Similarly, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 users in the Korean region have also started getting the stable release.

The rollout seems to have quickly reached non-beta users too who are using the Galaxy S24 series with the S928NKSU4BYCG/ S928NOKR4BYCG/ S928NKSU4BYCG build numbers. Non-beta users on Galaxy Z Flip 6 in the same region have also received the stable One UI 7 update.

It is the much-anticipated Android 15-based One UI 7 update, which seems to be a sizable one as it is around 5.2GB and also contains the latest April security patch. Although Samsung started releasing beta versions of One UI 7 for the Galaxy S24 series and the aforementioned foldables last year, the stable release has been delayed when compared to the previous iterations’ rollout.

The One UI 7 is a notable upgrade as it brings tons of new features, improvements, and more Galaxy AI innovation. The Galaxy S24 series was promised with seven years of OS upgrades, and this stable marks as the first one as they shipped with One UI 6 when launched last year.

While the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 are the first ones to get the stable One UI 7 starting in Korea, the predecessor models, including the S24 FE, are expected to be receiving it within the same month.

Further, Vats has also managed to get what seems to be the official rollout schedule of One UI 7, which further reveals other Galaxy devices on when to expect the stable rollout. These include the Galaxy Z Fold 4/ Flip 4/ 3, S23 FE, A34, A35, S22/ S21 series, Tab S9/S8 series, A16 — all are tailored to get the stable One UI 7 release next month.

As the stable One UI 7 rollout has begun in the Korean region we expect it to be a broader rollout across regions this week. However, users in the U.S. are expected to start getting the update starting April 10, as promised before.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

The week the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch gets pushed, Galaxy Watch 8 shows up in a leak, President Trump extends Tiktok's deadline for the second time, Older Samsung Galaxy could get One UI 7's Now Brief, and dream batteries could be a reality for Samsung wearables. Let's dive in!

U.S. TikTok users can breathe another sigh of relief

Read more here.

TikTok seems to have dodged a ban in the U.S. for the second time, thanks to President Donald Trump.

"My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress," Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. "The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days."

The social media company had until April 5 to divest its U.S. operations; however, in a statement on the social media site Truth Social, Trump said that he had extended the deadline for TikTok's sale of U.S. operations for another 75 days.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, previously went offline for a brief period starting Jan. 19, 2025, but service was quickly restored. ByteDance spokesperson hinted that they're working with the Government to make sure that the social media site isn't taken down.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch delayed

Read more here.

Samsung has supposedly pushed the launch of its slimmest smartphone, the Galaxy S25 Edge, by another month. According to previous leaks, it was allegedly going to launch on April 15; however, it seems like the company will now launch the phone on May 13.

WinFuture says sources close to Samsung told the publication that the launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge was postponed at the last minute and that Samsung was dealing with some "technical issues with the device, which made further testing necessary."

Other publications feel that Samsung wanted to push the launch due to internal company matters, particularly after the sudden passing of Han Jong-hee, the company's co-CEO.

Whatever the reason behind the delay, the Galaxy S25 Edge is one of Samsung's most anticipated phones yet, but we might already have another date set for May.

Galaxy Watch 8 series could launch as a duo

Read more here.

Early signs of the Galaxy Watch 8 series have sprouted. Batteries that are meant for the next Galaxy Watch 8 series have allegedly received the SafetyKorea certification, and the next generation of the Galaxy Watch will supposedly include two models: the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 classic.

Two batteries with the codenames EB-BL330ABY and EB-BL505ABY have been approved by the SafetyKorea authority, and the leak by XpertPick alleges that these batteries could be associated with the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

In a separate leak, a user on X revealed information on the supposed firmware that will be built into these wearables. Theordysm spotted model numbers SM-L320, SM-L325U, SM-L330, and SM-L335U, which could hint at the different size variants of the Galaxy Watch 8. Meanwhile, SM-L500 and SM-L505 could be associated with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic variant.

The new Galaxy Watch 8 series is expected to debut later this year along with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 at its summer Unpacked event, the publication added. While we wait, here's what we wish to see from the upcoming Galaxy Watch 8 series.

For more news and information on Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch, check out our Ultimate Guide.

Samsung Galaxy S24 tipped to get 'Now Brief'

Read more here.

A leak popped up earlier this week indicating that Samsung could drop a version of One UI 7's Now Brief on the Galaxy S24 series, according to tipster Mehmet Kaya on X (via SamMobile). The rumor started after Kaya allegedly discovered the feature while searching "Activity Launcher" in the latest OS beta. And when you search for Now Brief it will bring up its respective page full of feature details, as well as its list of supported Samsung apps.

However, it's important to note that users won't be able to see the feature in action in the beta version. The tipster further indicated that Samsung has "disabled it," which could indicate more work is required before it can be seen.

Another user, Josh Guy, backs this claim by stating that the Now Brief feature appeared on the Galaxy S24 in One UI 7 Beta 4. The user states that they had to do some "root level" digging to find "traces of code" to even access the core function, which seemingly indicates the Galaxy S24's ability to run Now Brief.

Samsung confirmed One UI 7 will finally arrive on April 10 in the U.S. However, its fully detailed rollout schedule was discovered on its Czech Republic website, giving us a good idea of what to expect.

Future Samsung wearables could be powered by 'dream batteries'

Read more here.

Looks like Samsung could be working on "all-solid-state" batteries for its future wearables, specifically to power the next-gen Galaxy Ring.

A report by Money Today (Korean) claims that these batteries are nothing short of a "Dream Battery," containing "solid electrolytes," which will not only reduce the "risk of fire" but also exponentially increase the battery life of devices using them since these types of batteries are said to hold more energy.

While these batteries could get devices to last longer on a single charge, there's also a downside to it. Rumors claim that implementing this new battery technology into the next Galaxy Ring could make it more costly as manufacturing such a battery is "much more" expensive than the lithium-ion alternative.

For now, it is rumored that Samsung will apply prototypes of this tech to the next Galaxy Ring "in the fourth quarter this year." And could look to bring these dream batteries to earbuds in 2026 and a future Galaxy Watch in "late 2027."

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• YouTube preps smart Shorts creation features with AI for creative additions
• Meta's Llama 4 model is running behind schedule, but we might see it soon
• OnePlus exec teases the OnePlus 13T will be a tiny phone with a big battery
• Pixel 10 camera specs leak, hinting at a significant downgrade for one model
• Nothing's CMF Phone 2 teaser focuses on the shot with more 'coming soon'
• Google highlights smarter Gemini capabilities when integrating the Photos app
• Chrome for Android is getting extensions, but not like you’d expect
• Motorola Edge 60 Fusion is a new premium mid-range phone with AI and durability
• YouTube cracks down on fake movie trailer channels by disabling ad revenue
• Upcoming Sony Xperia 1 VII to look a lot like the predecessor as its renders surface

What you need to know

• A tipster claims there's evidence in the Galaxy S24's One UI 7 beta code that points towards the possibility of Now Brief support.
• Nothing works; however, the tipster was able to discover the Now Brief's official page and app options.
• A Samsung exec recently stated that not every major AI feature in One UI 7 will hit older devices due to hardware limitations.

Amidst the One UI 7 anticipation, it seems a few of Samsung's older devices could receive a Galaxy S25 feature.

There's a chance Samsung could drop a version of One UI 7's Now Brief on one of its past-gen Galaxy series, at least according to Mehmet Kaya on X (via SamMobile). The rumor started after the tipster allegedly discovered the feature while searching "Activity Launcher" in the latest OS beta. The tipster states searching for Now Brief will bring up its respective page full of feature details, as well as its list of supported Samsung apps.

However, they add that users won't see it in action during the beta. In their thread, the tipster states Samsung has "disabled it," which could indicate more work is required before it can be seen.

Another user, That Josh Guy, chimed in, stating these whispers of Now Brief for the Galaxy S24 appeared in One UI 7 Beta 4. The user states the small "traces of code" don't give a live example but only hint at its base functions and pages where users can customize it or update it. Their post states they had to go "root level deep" to even access the core of the function, which seemingly indicates the ability for the Galaxy S24 to run Now Brief.

It's not clear if Samsung plans to bring the Now Brief to the past-gen series when One UI 7 launches or

Interestingly, the publication notes that the same code was discovered in the One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6.

This discovery leads us back to a recent interview with Samsung's EVP and head of Framework R&D, Sally. During the discussion, Sally highlighted that not every One UI 7 feature will arrive for Samsung's past-gen devices. They stated major on-device processes, like the Personal Data Engine, are extremely reliant on the phone's or tablet's available hardware. As such, the engine requires Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite to operate.

Sally added that more affordable phones will likely miss out on the bulk of One UI 7's major AI features since the available hardware isn't strong enough. One question that remained was whether or not the Now Bar/Now Brief would arrive on older phones. Nothing is confirmed, but evidence of the feature could indicate that this specific feature isn't so hardware-reliant.

Either way, Samsung confirmed One UI 7 will arrive on April 10 in the U.S. However, its fully detailed rollout schedule was discovered on its Czech Republic website, potentially giving us an idea of what to expect.

Samsung makes some of the best Android phones around, but it has been a bit stubborn when it comes to offering certain basic customization options in its One UI software. For the longest time, scrolling through apps in the app drawer could only be done horizontally, and there was no way to change this other than using a third-party launcher or Good Lock. Vertical scrolling feels more natural in my opinion, and is the layout most other manufacturers choose to go with.

Finally, after years of wanting this feature, Samsung has given users a choice in One UI 7. If you've bought one of the latest Galaxy S25 phones or have updated your older phone to One UI 7, here's how you can change to a vertical scrolling app drawer.

How to change to a vertical scrolling app drawer on One UI 7

1. Unlock your phone and open the app drawer.

2. Tap the three vertical dots in the Search box at the bottom, and choose Sort.

3. Tap Alphabetical order.

4. That's it! Your app drawer has been switched to vertical scrolling. When doing it the first time, you'll see an overlay message alerting you to the change in swiping style.

Do more with One UI 7 on your Samsung phone

One UI 7 is the latest smartphone software from Samsung, and it comes pre-installed on the Galaxy 25 series. The interface gets a tweaked design, and there are more Galaxy AI features to play with, some exclusive to the S25 series. The official rollout of One UI 7 for older devices has hit a bit of a snag and didn't make it as promised in the first quarter of 2025. Samsung is still issuing new beta versions of One UI 7 for Galaxy S24 owners as we wait for the final build in early April.

There's not much anyone can do about it, but wait for it. Releasing software updates is hard, especially when you're Samsung and have more than a hundred models, each with its own variants based on where it's sold in the world. Plenty of due diligence is needed to make sure everything works across its entire portfolio, and rushing a half-baked update will only make things worse.

New features in One UI 7 that you can expect to arrive on older flagship Samsung phones include Now Bar and Now Brief. Now Bar sits at the bottom of your lockscreen and shows you updates on ongoing activities like music that's playing, live notifications, timers, and more. Now Brief on the other hand offers more detailed personalized briefings based on relevant information. Other features that will cross over include cross-app action, Audio Eraser, Auto Trim, and AI Drawing Assist.

One UI 7, the latest Samsung operating system, brings a visual overhaul and plenty of new Galaxy AI features.

The update, based on Android 15, shipped with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, with older phones to follow. While many of the new changes have been well-received by users and beta testers, there's one exception: the split notification shade and quick settings panel.

One UI 7 now behaves like iOS, with a notification shade that can be accessed by swiping down from the left corner of the screen and a separate quick settings panel on the right. For longtime One UI users, this could be a negative change that impacts muscle memory. The good news is that it's easy to reverse the split notification shade and quick settings panel to the unified panel. Let's find out how.

All the notification and quick settings options in One UI 7

One UI 7 offers two customization options for the notification shade and quick settings panel: separate and together. Separate is now the default, with together still available as a manual option.

With the single notification shade and quick settings panel, you can view your most recent notifications and the top level quick settings toggles. There's also an option to edit the top quick settings so that your most-used toggles are easily accessible. To see them all, you can swipe down from the top quick settings one more time.

While you might expect the option to switch between these preferences to be in the Settings app, it's actually in the panel itself.

How to change back to a single notification and quick settings panel

1. Open the Quick Settings menu by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen.

2. Press the Pencil icon.

3. Look for the Panel settings button at the top left of your screen, and tap it.

4. Under Panel settings options, tap Together.

After that, you'll now see your notification shade and quick settings menu on the same screen. This reflects how previous versions of One UI handled the two, so you're essentially reverting the new One UI 7 default.

Why you might want to make the switch

Whether you simply prefer a unified notification shade and quick settings panel or are used to the old One UI defaults, there are plenty of reasons to change the One UI 7 preference. A single notification shade and quick settings panel is a One UI staple, and it's one of the things that separates Samsung Galaxy phones from iPhones.

Although some users might be unhappy with the switch, it's great that Samsung provides users with a choice between the two options. You can try out both the split and unified panel and choose the one that you like best on One UI 7.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week, Samsung lost its patent lawsuit against Oura, some Google Pixel users had to deal with a weird bug attacking their alarm clocks, Pixel 9a got a launch date, Fitbit's Health Metrics are getting a redesign on Android and iOS, and Google suddenly decided to "privately" develop future Android OS. Let's dive in!

Samsung's case against Oura gets thrown out

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On May 30 last year, Samsung tried to one-up Oura after its lawyers filed a lawsuit in the San Francisco Division District Court against Oura Health Oy. It was essentially a preemptive move before the latter could consider suing Samsung for patent infringement — just like it sued three other smart ring makers (Ultrahuman, Circular, and RingConn).

Samsung claimed that "Oura's pattern of indiscriminate assertion of patent infringement against any competitors in the smart ring market" is an "actual, imminent risk to Samsung" and the Galaxy Ring's chances of success.

However, on March 27, federal judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín from the U.S. district court dismissed Samsung's case, stating that Oura's general statements about enforcing its patents that were seen in the other three cases "were not directed at Samsung" and "do not reveal a likelihood or intent to enforce Oura’s patents against Samsung."

Samsung will likely appeal this dismissal, and experts think that it will continue to sue Oura, keeping the company from suing the Korean OEM in other courts.

While this tag game continues, here's what we think this dismissal will do to the smart ring market at large.

It wasn't you, it was your Google Pixel 9

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Nope, you didn't hit on snooze — your alarm actually never rang. Pixel users took to Reddit this week to report issues with their scheduled alarm clocks. This is the first we've ever heard of a bug like this impacting Pixel phones.

One user states the alarms on their Pixel never went off. In fact, they had set four alarms, and all four were "turned off," not dismissed. The user said that each alarm soon deactivated itself on their Pixel 9, while another user thought Gemini was behind this weird bug. Their post reads, "My initial assumption was that I told Gemini to stop a timer that was going off and it canceled all my alarms."

This issue seems to be impacting only Pixel 9 users after the March update. Google is yet to acknowledge it. For now, if you rely on your phone to wake you up, I'd probably look for another alarm to do the job.

Save the date, Google Pixel 9a is arriving soon

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The Google Pixel 9a launched on Mar. 19, and now, ten days later, the company announced that the budget phone will be in stores starting April 10.

Google usually makes all its devices available for pre-orders on launch day, but for the Pixel 9a, we were told that it would show up in stores "sometime in April." There's a good reason why Google wanted to hold back preorders; it said the first Pixel 9a units had a "component quality issue" and that it wanted to make sure that the phone was functioning as it was supposed to before being released to the masses.

In a community post, the company detailed its rollout plan, starting with users in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., who will get to buy the Pixel 9a as early as April 10, with later dates for other regions and some listed as "coming soon."

Fitbit's health metrics are getting a redesign

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Fitbit's Health Metrics page is getting a fresh coat of paint on the mobile app, matching other app components.

Before, the Fitbit app had the Health Metrics page for data points like breathing rate, resting heart rate, blood oxygen, and more appearing in a basic interface that didn't match the rest of the Fitbit app

However, an upcoming update is giving it a new look and making it easier for users to view their data. For instance, before the update, tapping the preview card will list out five health metrics recorded, giving you a glimpse of how many of those metrics are in your "personal range." In a new change, only the "Today" stats are shown on the main Health Metrics page.

Previously, you could see this data by switching to the "Trends" tab in Health Metrics; however, now the app will be focused on giving users metric-based data.

Google apparently wants to make Android OS behind closed doors

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Google is shutting its doors to the public when it comes to developing Android OS, according to a new report.

Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority claims that Google will shift to privately developing the Android OS starting "next week." This is because Google wants to start making the OS development more streamlined and internal.

According to Rahman, this change will more directly impact Google and the AOSP (Android Open-Source Project). The company will allegedly "change the frequency of public source code releases for specific Android components." Rahman states that, with Google's normal public source code releases for the AOSP, the company needs to "spend time and effort merging patches."

Have you heard of the saying," Too many cooks spoil the broth?" Looks like Google wants to solely have a say in how the OS functions, keeping the outside noise to a minimum. However, according to AC's Jerry Hildenbrand, "Android already isn't as open as you think." He says that Google is ultimately in charge of Android's code and has the final say as to what gets done, how it gets done, and when it gets done.

"You (or anyone) can contribute to Android, though. Once everything gets wrapped up, the "finished" code is posted for anyone to grab and use however they want."

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• The Nothing Phone 3a series might eventually put a price on its new AI perks
• Leaked Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE renders purport small changes to its familiar design
• Google Maps taps Gemini for an 'Ask about place' chip with directions and more
• The new Oppo Find X8 Ultra shot better low-light images than the iPhone16 Pro with dual periscopic lenses
• Google prepares you for a hot summer with new AI updates for traveling
• New leak shows off Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in 'Titanium' variants
• Heads up — Samsung's detailed One UI 7 rollout schedule for Galaxy appears
• New Galaxy Z Flip 7 case leak backs rumors of a larger cover display
• Google Maps might predict more than just the traffic for you soon
• Gemini 2.5 Pro is Google's latest AI model with thinking and multimodality built-in

What you need to know

• Samsung is reportedly rolling out One UI 7 Beta 6 to its enrolled Galaxy S24 users.
• The update is similar to what arrived for its foldables a the changelog highlights a series of previously teased AI improvements in One UI 7, like Sketch to Image.
• Samsung confirmed One UI 7 will start arriving in the U.S. on April 10, but an overseas schedule might hold more clues for users.

It seems Samsung's 2024 flagship phones are in for one more software beta before the big day arrives.

A post by Tarun Vats on X states Samsung is reportedly starting to roll out One UI 7 Beta 6 to enrolled Galaxy S24 devices in its Beta Program (via SamMobile). The patch was brought to the tipster's attention on social media via another user, who claims it's been spotted in India. The latest beta version rocks firmware version ZYCE; however, the publiction states it's also been appearing for phones "globally" in the program.

Interestingly, the changelog is a little familiar. According to Vats' snapshot, the Galaxy S24 series is picking up new One UI 7 features like a "press and hold" function to launch its digital assistant.

There are also several AI-based features arriving on the most recent past-gen series:

• Call recording summary converted to text
• Create your own stickers and images
• Summarize webpages
• Edit video sounds
• Natural language-based search in Settings

Samsung is fixing a few bugs on the S24 series regarding its battery animations and UI errors in its media controller.

If these "new features" hitting the S24 series seem familiar, it's because Samsung recently brought the same set to the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6's beta. That patch for the foldables was roughly 1.2GB in size. There's a chance users with the S24 series could see a similar size, considering the update's strong similarities. Moreover, the changelog's mention of "editing video sounds" and sticker/image creation points us to Samsung's Audio Eraser and Sketch to Image AI features.

The latter was mentioned during Samsung's teasers earlier this year, where the company said it wanted the feature to be more "multimodal." Users will have the choice of using an S Pen, written descriptions, or their voice with the AI to generate an image.

As previously stated, there's speculation that this could be the final beta the Galaxy S24 sees before Samsung's official debut of One UI 7. With six betas under our belt, the company is preparing to rollout the new sofware upgrade on April 10 in the U.S., three days after it goes global. Something to keep in mind is a rollout schedule for the update that appeared on the company's Czech Republic website.

Users in the region are seemingly receiving the update for the Galaxy S24, Flip 6, and Fold 6 on April 10 — like the U.S., but it's unclear if the remainder of the schedule is what we should expect. It states the Galaxy S24 FE, S23 series, Flip 5, and Fold 5 should receive it "a week later" alongside more important dates for other devices.

What you need to know

• A tipster spotted Samsung's One UI 7 schedule in a Czech Republic post, with specific dates for its rollout for several Galaxy devices.
• The Galaxy S24, Flip 6, and Fold 6 are set to receive it first on April 10, followed by the Galaxy S24 FE, S23, Flip 5, and Fold 5 "a week later."
• One UI 7's initial rollout seemingly lines up with Samsung's announced date for the U.S.; however, we wouldn't hold our breath.

Amid a little One UI 7 rollout confusion, Samsung is now bringing clarity to the specifics behind its next OS debut.

Spotted by Tarun Vats on X, the company has posted a detailed schedule of its One UI 7 rollout for several past-gen Galaxy devices (via 9to5Google). Samsung's Czech Republic website has posted the dates for which devices should begin expecting the major OS upgrade. The post states April 10 will mark the beginning of One UI 7's arrival on the Galaxy S24, Flip 6, and Fold 6 in the region.

Officially, the Czech Republic's post states "a week later" (potentially April 17), the Galaxy S24 FE, S23 series, Flip 5, and Fold 5 will receive the update. This will then be followed by One UI 7's arrival on the S23 FE and the S22 "in the coming weeks," which is speculated to be late April.

Samsung's post lists its eligible Galaxy tablets separately, beginning with the Galaxy Tab S10 series, which should see One UI 7 in mid-April. Lastly, the Tab S9 and S8 series will grab it in late April.

These dates could seriously matter for users in the U.S. since One UI 7's initial launch in the Czech Republic lines up with ours. Samsung announced the U.S. will see the OS launch three days after its global release on April 7. However, it seems the Czech Republic has received this same date, which could mean the U.S. will see similar dates for the OS upgrade for consumers with eligible devices.

In that announcement, Samsung didn't state the reason behind the small delay for those in the U.S. The good news is the company confirmed a date for us eagerly awaiting the update after the Galaxy S24 series picked up its fifth One UI 7 beta. The update cleaned up some glitchy lock screen notifications, small widget icons, and more.

However, Galaxy device owners should take this Czech Republic schedule with caution for the U.S. release, given the strange confusion with its blog post. The U.S. One UI 7 announcement post disappeared over the weekend before reappearing a day later. While speculation leans toward there having been a slight glitch on the website, others have noted Samsung's U.S. X account links to a "page not found" site.

We'll likely have to play things by ear (and eye) as we approach the extremely hopeful April 10 release date.

Samsung's One UI 7 release is a bonafide shit show; there is really no other way to describe it. Having said that, the real issues don't stem from the software itself or the phones that will eventually receive the update; it's a matter of over-promising and under-delivering. Unfortunately, that's pretty common when the people doing the selling aren't the people doing the building.

There are three different camps here. I know this because I have spent the last three days reading whatever people had to say about it. I do not recommend it if you don't love the aftertaste of Tylenol.

One group of people is sharpening pitchforks while posting on websites like Reddit about how Samsung is terrible, and they're never buying another Samsung phone again. Others are coping and making excuses for the whole mess while posting responses from Samsung Customer Care, blaming Google for the rollout issues.

The third group? They don't care as long as things still work right now and won't break when they're told to update their software. I think everyone is right and everyone is wrong, all at the same time.

What's going on here?

Samsung originally promised to deliver the One UI 7 update to eligible Galaxy S phones in Q1 2025, which isn't going to happen. It will get here eventually — the latest says it's coming in April — but that doesn't address the real problem: writing software is hard, and unless you have done it, you have no idea how hard it can be.

Of course, seeing the Galaxy S25 released with the update makes it especially hard for consumers to swallow.

I'm saying the real problems with the rollout of One UI 7 are all about communication, transparency, and setting expectations. It has nothing to do with features or options or anything technical.

You may think using software another company makes for you, like Android (from Google) or Windows (from Microsoft), is easy, but it's not. It could be if every company used the exact same configuration of hardware specifically designated by the company that wrote it, but then you'd have a more Apple-like situation where you can't choose what product fits you best. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not for everyone.

Android is especially difficult because it's so ... "loose." However, as long as you follow some rules from Google, you can do a lot with it to make it look and act like something completely different — enter One UI 7.

Samsung executives and project managers have a vision of what each version of One UI will be. They decide how it will look, what features will be improved, which new features are needed, and what features will be removed. They base this on the feedback you give while using your Samsung phone via data collection. The next version of One UI will be a mix of things that Samsung knows users like to interact with.

This isn't done in a vacuum. Managers, engineers, marketing, and even carrier representatives are involved in the decisions that go into the update and its release schedule. One side wants everything, and they want it now, while others are more timid and want more time. A compromise is reached, and a timeline is built. Then, the chaos and "crunch time" begin.

The folks tasked with developing the ideas given to them from people up the chain need to find a way to do it all and try to do it by a given date. Samsung has historically been terrible at this, and I can't blame anyone at the company for it. Neither should you. It's a communication breakdown between the people making the promises and the people trying to fulfill them.

When you want to try and do too much, you need too much time. Integrating a new (though now a year old) version of Android with a slew of AI parlor tricks and a reinvented notification idea that will include sports scores and the kitchen sink is too much.

To top it all off, much of it will be discarded once a better way is introduced that's more integrated with Android. Split windows and one-handed mode come to mind. Samsung wants to be first, so it will race forward with an idea instead of waiting because that's a good way to sell more phones. If you are reading this on a Galaxy S phone, it probably worked on you.

None of this is a bad idea or anything you should be upset about. If you're upset, it's because you were told one thing and delivered a different thing. The overworked developers doing it aren't the people who told you what you would get and when you would get it. Welcome to marketing.

What you really need to know about One UI 7

It will be here when it gets here. That's it; there is nothing more we need to know about it.

We want to know a lot more, though. We want to know a date and what to expect. We want to know that it won't have issues or be filled with bugs. We want it all, and we want it now. This goes for software updates from every company, not just Samsung.

I hate to break it to you, but it didn't get here when you wanted it, and once it does, there will be bugs. You may get angry and complain on the internet, and I can't blame you. Please complain about it the right way — Samsung needs to be more transparent and develop better communication with its customers before it tries to do anything else. The company has made great strides in software development over the past 10 years, and it's time to work on other things.

What you need to know

• Samsung is reportedly "planning" to introduce several third-party apps into the fold for One UI 7's Now Bar.
• Many are still unknown; however, rumors state Kakao T, Naver Sports, YouTube, and YouTube Music could be on the way.
• A rumor from mid-March claimed Samsung was looking into "forced" third-party support and more customization options for the Now Bar via Good Lock.

Rumors are surfacing again about Samsung's apparent interest in expanding app support for a key One UI 7 feature.

A report by ETNews (Korean) claims Samsung is "planning" to introduce several third-party apps to users with Now Bar compatibility (via 9to5Google). The Korean OEM is reportedly going to bring these additional apps to One UI 7's Now Bar with "cross-app actions." As the post notes, this is one of the key features of the newest Galaxy S25 series, so it seems there's a chance Samsung wants to keep this consistent even with third-party additions.

Regarding what Samsung could bring, there's speculation from an alleged industry source that the Now Bar could add Kakao T and Naver Sports. The former is a transportation app in South Korea responsible for taxis, driver bookings, and scooter sharing. The post states the addition of Naver Sports could be similar to the likes of Google Sports.

There is more to be expected; however, the report didn't express what those could be. However, it curiously highlights YouTube and YouTube Music, stating those apps are "not yet installed." It seems Samsung is moving to bring those into the Now Bar (which would be nice), but nothing's clear just yet.

Rumors surfaced a week ago about Samsung's alleged plans for the future of the Now Bar, which includes third-party apps. Though a small mention, a tipster claimed Samsung was moving along with an update that would bring "forced support for all third-party apps." Fortunately, this new South Korean report gives us a better idea of what might show up for the Now Bar if all goes well.

The core of that previous rumor was the new customization features the company is supposedly working on. Speculation states the Now Bar will receive a dedicated Good Lock module that'll let users change its color, size, and animations.

Meanwhile, that Google Sports update for the Now Bar dropped earlier this month. The patch essentially made it easier for users to see the scores they want and keep up with their favorite teams in a streamlined way. Users can browse through "Following" and "Recommended" sports/team tabs, as well as a full list of available organizations. That update for One UI 7 made it even easier for users to manage their notifications, too.

(Update 3/24 9:50 am): Samsung's official blog post announcing the One UI 7 rollout seems to have popped back up again on its website after it went missing over the weekend. This lead to several questioning Samsung's intent to roll out the OS update for its users.

From the looks of it, the blog post could've been missing due to a technical glitch, however, Android Central has reached out to the Korean OEM and will update this article once we have more information.

What you need to know

• Samsung deleted the U.S. One UI 7 rollout post, initially set for April 10.
• The global rollout is still scheduled for April 7, but U.S. users might face an uncertain wait time.
• The update has several improvements over previous versions, but there's no information on when it might actually become available. .

Samsung Galaxy users in the U.S. have been waiting for the One UI 7 on their devices as the company announced the stable operating system rollout for April 10 in the region. However, it now seems unlikely as Samsung deleted the announcement post (spotted by SammyFans).

Last week, the company said that Galaxy phone users in the U.S. will be receiving the One UI 7 stable build starting April 10 with the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 handsets. The release date is already delayed by three days as the global rollout is intended to happen on April 7, according to a previous announcement from the brand.

The release date was announced through a Samsung U.S. newsroom post, which was sadly pulled by the company for reasons unspecified. The page is nowhere to be seen. However, other related newsroom posts indicating an April 7 release date remain intact — except for the Canada blog post, which interestingly has an April 10 release date.

Regardless, One UI 7 is a highly anticipated update for Galaxy phone users as it brings a host of improvements over the previous iteration. The initial rollout was slated alongside the Galaxy S25 series launch in January this year, but things, however, didn’t materialize. Later, the announcement was confirmed in April with the company releasing the announcement details, as mentioned before.

On the other hand, SammyFans notes that some of the social posts on X indicating the rollout of One UI 7 on the Samsung US account are nowhere to be found. A post dated March 20 still appears to be live on X, however, the attached announcement post link redirects to a “no page found” window.

It appears Samsung users in the U.S. might have to wait a little bit more than other users across regions — but that isn't anything new.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week saw The Google Pixel 9a launch, the EU Commission dings Google Search and Google Play for breaching the DMA, One UI 7 gets a launch date, Verizon brings satellite messaging to any device, and Pebble watches are here.

Google Pixel 9a arrives

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Google's budget phone launched this week, and right off the bat, you see the Pixel 9a sports an all-new look, ditching its usual "Pixel-like" appearance for a sleek, flat rear panel that houses the camera array within the phone. While the big pill-shaped camera bump seems to be all but gone, the phone has the same rounded aluminum side rails as its predecessors.

For its display, the Pixel 9a gets a slightly bigger 6.3-inch pOLED screen but is 35% brighter than the Pixel 8a. It also arrives with a massive 5,100mAh, which is larger than the standard Pixel 9 model (4700mAh). The device gets Android 15 out of the box, the new Tensor G4 chip, and seven years of OS and security updates. It comes with an extended battery life of up to 30 hours, faster charging, and two new colorways: Iris and Peony. Starting at $499, it has a smaller 48MP primary lens, sticks to the 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 13MP selfie camera.

But what about Pre-orders, you ask? Google usually makes its devices available for pre-order on launch day, but that isn't the case with the Pixel 9a. Google said in an email that the device will be going on sale sometime in April without an exact date of sale. In a statement to Android Central, Google noted a "component quality issue" affecting initial Pixel 9a units as the reason: "We're checking on a component quality issue that's affecting a small number of Pixel 9a devices."

EU Commission states Google Search and Play Store breached DMA

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Alphabet, Google's parent company, is under investigation by the EU Commission. It posted its preliminary findings stating that two of Google's most used products are in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Legislation brought about by the European Union to regulate big tech companies so that they don't favor their products over other players on the market— leveling the playing field for other tech companies.

The report claimed two things: First, Google Search showed results favoring Google at the top of the results page rather than similar services offered by third parties. Second, app developers who contribute to the Google Play Store should be allowed to steer customers to cheaper options other than the ones Google controls.

Responding to this report, Google stated in a blog post that, while the DMA aims at being fair to all players in the market, these rules are "having the opposite effect by hurting European businesses and consumers." However the company will continue to have discussions with the EU to come to a middle ground.

Save the date, One UI 7 is coming!

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Can we just say, better late than never? One UI 7 update of Galaxy devices finally has a launch date. Samsung announced this week that the official rollout for the stable version of the OS will arrive as early as April 7—for those in the company's home ground, Korea, at least. Folks in the U.S. have to wait for another three days post-launch, aka April 10, to be able to see the update pop up on their devices.

According to the announcement post, the first set of devices that will be lucky enough to experience the OS are the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Galaxy Z Flip 6. While other eligible devices will see a gradual rollout post-launch "in the coming weeks."

Verizon brings satellite texting to any device

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Verizon announced it is bringing satellite texting to any device via "select" Android phones. Verizon will bring this feature to its U.S.-based customers first. The company states users can "send text messages to any other customer device via satellite when outside the reach of terrestrial cellular networks."

However, this feature won't show up on every Android phone. Users with a Samsung Galaxy S25 or Google Pixel 9 series phone can leverage its newly expanded satellite texting. Verizon's EVP & president of Global Network and Technology, Joe Russo, said in a statement, "This expansion of satellite texting capabilities is a testament to our commitment to ensure customers stay connected wherever they are."

The company has started working on incorporating this feature as we speak. However, it will likely take two weeks before it's completely stable and ready.

Pebble is back with two new smartwatches

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PebbleOS watches have made a comeback and how! Pebble's founder, Eric Migicovsky, in a new blog post announced the arrival of two new smartwatches: the Core 2 Duo and Time 2. These devices are launching under Migicovsky's new company, "Core Devices." Migicovsky states both watches are compatible with "thousands of your beloved Pebble apps."

Time 2 is a 1.5-inch e-paper display watch that will deliver "less glare and reflections" than its older watches. It has a 53% larger display with 88% more pixels, the Time 2 contains a heart rate monitor, as well as step and sleep-tracking capabilities. Core Devices had given the watch an IPX8 rating, too. The device also sports a microphone and speaker. The Time 2 is available for pre-orders for $225.

The second watch is the Core 2 Duo, which the company says is identical to the Pebble 2 — but it's been upgraded. This smartwatch features a smaller 1.2-inch black and white e-paper display with a lightweight polycarbonate frame and three physical buttons. Like Time 2, Core Devices states it is "targeting" an IPX8 water-resistant rating. For $149, it includes a 30-day battery life, a speaker, a barometer, and a compass sensor.

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• Here's why the Google Pixel 9a ditched the camera bar
• Huawei's new flip phone blurs the line between foldables
• Pre-ordered Nothing Phone 3a Pros reportedly get hit with a long shipping delay
• Google says its Pixel 9a features an older, less powerful Exynos modem
• YouTube's video stream is glitching out for some viewers
• Google finally rolls out fix for 'Untrusted Device' errors on older Chromecasts
• Kids with Android phones can now tap and pay with Google Wallet
• The Oura Ring 4 arrives at Costco in the latest expansion to more health-focused users
• Circular goes big, claims Blood pressure and glucose monitoring is coming to the Ring 2
• Gemini gets new features, including one that turns documents into fun podcasts

What you need to know

• Samsung is adding 15 new Galaxy models to the list of supported One UI 7 devices.
• The list now includes the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 lineups, plus more foldables and tablets.
• The official rollout for One UI 7 begins worldwide on April 7, with the U.S. launch set for three days later.

Samsung's long One UI 7 delays have affected every part of the processes, from the beta testing stages to the confirmation of exactly which Galaxy phones and tablets will support the new operating system. The South Korean company has provided a bit more clarity on device support in recent weeks, and a post today, March 20, on the Samsung Newsroom in Singapore — adding 15 new models to the list (via SammyGuru).

Previous announcements from Samsung revealed that in addition to the Galaxy S25, which debuted with One UI 7, the older Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23 lineups would support the upgrade. On top of that, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and Galaxy Z Fold 6 would also be supported. The same goes for the Galaxy Tab S9 and Galaxy Tab S10 series.

Now, the list of supported One UI 7 devices expands to a total of 34 models, including the following new additions:

• Samsung Galaxy S22
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
• Samsung Galaxy S21
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Notably, the expanded list adds the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 series, as well as two more generations of older Samsung foldables. The press release notes that the rollout for One UI 7 will begin on April 14 for these devices in Singapore.

The worldwide rollout for One UI 7 will begin on April 7, but exact dates will vary by device model and region. In the U.S., users can expect the update to hit their devices beginning April 10.

What you need to know

• The One UI 7 update will be available for the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in the U.S. on April 10, the company announced.
• The rollout of One UI 7 is already delayed in general when compared to previous versions.
• On the other hand, Samsung also announced the fifth One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy S24 Ultra in the U.S.
• The update introduces a new camera feature and fixes issues such as lock screen notification glitches, and Now Bar controller problems, amongst others.

Looks like the wait for One UI 7 for people in the U.S. got longer— by three days.

While we recently learned that One UI 7 is finally arriving on Galaxy phones in the second week of April, users in the U.S., however, have to wait a couple of more days.

In a new One UI 7 announcement post, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Z Flip 6 will be getting the Android 15-based update on April 10. It makes it three days behind the global release, which is slated for April 7.

While the reason behind the delay is unspecified, it isn’t that alarming as it is just a matter of days — and it still makes the rollout of the One UI 7 within the same week.

Other than the devices mentioned above, older devices like the Galaxy S23 series, S24 FE, S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and tablets like Galaxy Tab S10 and Tab S9 series will be receiving the Android 15-based update in the following weeks after the April 7 and April 10 rollouts in the corresponding regions.

Yes, the One UI 7 rollout has been significantly delayed when compared to the previous iteration rollout. While many anticipated that it would be happening alongside the Galaxy S25 series launch back in January, it didn’t happen, and the Korean tech giant continued rolling out the One UI 7 beta updates for the Galaxy S24 models.

Speaking of, the company had recently rolled out its fifth One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy S24 Ultra in the U.S. — making sure the One UI 7 update rollout hits smoothly when it goes official in April. The latest firmware not only introduces a new camera feature but also fixes notable bugs in the operating system.

The primary fixes include glitches with lock screen notifications, Now Bar controller issues, and font overlaps in the interface amongst others. Alongside the fixes, there are a bunch of improvements as well.

• Phone deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Samsung | Amazon | Verizon | AT&T

What you need to know

• The fifth One UI 7 beta just landed in the U.S., pushing the Galaxy S24 Ultra one step closer to its stable Android 15 release in April.
• This update smooths out issues like glitchy lock screen notifications, a wonky Nowbar controller, and those tiny, hard-to-see widget icons.
• Samsung patched up the Gallery edit button for better reliability and made media playback notifications display in real time.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra in the U.S. just received its fifth One UI 7 beta update, rolling out a few days after Samsung made it official. This update brings the phone one step closer to the stable Android 15 release, which is set to drop in April.

This update brings a fresh camera feature to the table while squashing a bunch of bugs.

Bug fixes and UI tweaks

Highlights include fixing a glitch with lock screen notifications, smoothing out display hiccups with the Nowbar controller, and tackling those annoyingly tiny icons in the widget settings.

On top of that, it cleans up blurry transparency effects, sorts out wonky font and image overlaps, and tightens up the spacing in the quick action menu.

Furthermore, the Gallery’s edit button should now work more consistently, and notification history errors have been patched up.

Samsung has also tweaked media playback notifications, making them show up in real time.

The latest beta isn’t leaving the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus out of the fun—it’s bringing Log video support to these models too. That’s a feature that was exclusive to the S24 Ultra in Beta 4, so now more users can get in on the action.

Log Video, which first debuted with the Galaxy S25 series, lets you shoot videos with a wider dynamic range. This means you’ve got more flexibility to tweak colors and fine-tune your footage during editing.

Samsung has locked in April 7 for the stable One UI 7 rollout. However, U.S. users will have to wait a bit longer because Android 15 will start hitting Galaxy devices in the country on April 10, as per Samsung US.

What you need to know

• Samsung has announced the official rollout of One UI 7, which is set to begin on April 7.
• The Galaxy S24 series alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 will be the first set of devices to get the Android 15-based operating system.
• Older devices like the Galaxy S23 series, S24 FE, S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and tablets like Galaxy Tab S10 and Tab S9 series will be getting the One UI 7 in the coming weeks.

Can we just say, better late than never?

The much-anticipated One UI 7 update of Galaxy devices finally has a launch date. Samsung has announced that the official rollout will begin on April 7.

According to the announcement post, the first set of devices to experience the latest operating system includes the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The company further notes that other eligible devices comprising Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S23 FE, and the older Galaxy foldables like Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 will be receiving the update gradually in the coming weeks. There are also tablets, which will be receiving the update like the Galaxy Tab S9 and the more recent Galaxy Tab S0 series.

Samsung started rolling out the One UI 7 for devices like the Galaxy S24 series in beta last year. The devices have already received a couple of betas over the past few months. The Galaxy S25 series, however, has been the first set of devices to come with stable Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the box as they launched in January.

Meanwhile, the predecessor models were expected to be getting the official builds around the same time; it appears Samsung has taken its sweet time to roll out the official builds a couple of months later. Also, this is a first from Samsung — a delayed OS roll-out compared to the previous One UI versions.

Regardless, it is encouraging to see the launch date of One UI 7 despite the delays as the betas have showcased some of the interesting features the operating system is bringing to the Galaxy phones — and it is considered the most notable update compared to last year’s version. The first set of changes that Galaxy users can expect with the One UI 7 include a simplified Home Screen, redesigned One UI widgets, and a Lock Screen, which additionally provides customizations.

This new OS will bring the Now Bar, which is powered by Galaxy AI sits on the lock screen, and supports real-time updates for apps like Timers, Google Maps, and Spotify, for example. Other notable AI features comprise AI Select, Writing Assist, Drawing Assist, and Audio Eraser. Google’s Gemini integration is also expected to be another notable improvement with the One UI 7 update.

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What you need to know

• Rumors claim Samsung is working on a Good Lock module that gives users access to an "expansion" of Now Bar features.
• These features are more customization-focused as users could alter its animations, size, and more on the lock screen.
• Samsung dropped a major customization update for its Home Up Good Lock module while also updating the Now Bar experience via Always On Display.

One UI 7 brings a multitude of changes, but a recent rumor claims Samsung could have more in store for one lock screen feature.

As rumored by Tony Tech on X, Samsung is supposedly looking into creating a dedicated Good Lock module for One UI 7's Now Bar (via SamMobile). The tipster claims the module will "expand" the Now Bar's customization with a series of new features. The lock screen widget's primary purpose is to deliver quick bits of important information, so rumors claim it might feature "forced support for all third-party apps."

Additionally, considering its lock screen presence, the post suggests the Good Lock module could offer color and size customization options.

Rumors add the module would give users control over the widget's animations, letting you "remove" and "insert" new ones, potentially. The post ends by purporting the rumored module will be dubbed "NOWBAR," but that remains to be seen as no further evidence has been discovered yet.

The idea of Samsung bringing total Now Bar customization could work, especially when you remember it dropped a Good Lock update for Home Up. After the update was rumored last fall, Samsung finally started rolling it out for One UI 7-capable devices (the Galaxy S25). The Home Up patch blew open the doors of customization for users as Samsung delivered the freedom over the size and orientation of your apps, widgets, and folders.

In short, the typical grid rules apps and the like are forced to adhere to are out the window. A demo showcased how this could work in more detail for users interested in trying out the "DIY Home" editing button.

The Now Bar was subject to a recent update through the Always On Display module in Good Lock. The update focused on improving the experience of it by delivering more awareness and agency behind notifications. More importantly, users could better customize which sports leagues and teams they'd like their Now Bar to update them on.

Many Galaxy users without a Galaxy S25 are still awaiting One UI 7; however, Samsung confirmed the update will hit eligible devices in April.

What you need to know

• Samsung is rolling out an Always On Display update for its One UI 7 devices (the Galaxy S25 series).
• The patch focuses on improving the experience behind its notification management, as well as giving users more agency with Google Sports.
• Samsung confirmed One UI 7 will go live for eligible Galaxy devices in April.

Samsung is looking to refine the experience of its Now Bar for users, which should make things clear and easy.

As noted by SammyGuru, Samsung is rolling out an update for the Always On Display for devices with One UI 7 (basically, the Galaxy S25 series). The update itself is light; however, it focuses on making the experience much easier for users looking to utilize the Now Bar more effectively. According to the publication, the update brings a "notice" about notifications via the Now Bar.

When in the Now Bar settings, users may see a "App notifications are turned off" label under apps that fit the bill. Users should be able to dive in and change anything that needs to, if it's an app that you need to see more prominently on the lock screen's Now Bar.

Elsewhere, the update's changelog states it adds a "Google Sports settings guide" alongside an "improved Google Sports-related GUI."

The publication's findings show that users diving into the Now Bar's settings and tapping Google Sports will see a "Sports from Google Settings" button. From there, a pop-up will surface with professional sports leagues with "Following" and "Recommended" tabs. There, users can more easily select which teams — or even leagues — they'd like to be displayed on their Now Bar.

These updates are appearing with v8.8.25.5 of the Always on Display app for Samsung.

In other news, Samsung recently pushed an update for its Good Lock app launcher for Galaxy devices. The patch was minimalistic as it offered small changes to the language used when explaining functions. The patch notes stated Samsung was also "improving app stabilization" for users, though it failed to explicitly state which apps are affected.

To go along with One UI 7, Samsung highlighted a complete Good Lock overhaul for its next-gen OS. While the company's smartphones will see updates, the redesign focused a lot on its foldables by improving the "overall composition" of the app's UI.

While this Always On Display update leaves most Galaxy users out of the loop, Samsung confirmed One UI 7 is arriving in April. After a lengthy history of delays, it seems most of the kinks and frustrations have been ironed out to a place Samsung is comfortable. Additionally, with One UI 7 coming to devices next month, the company is planning Beta Programs for other devices.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 have already received the first beta. The company states there's more to come for the likes of the Galaxy S23 series and Galaxy Tab S10 series.

What you need to know

• Samsung was spotted pushing an update for the Try Galaxy app, which now lets users playtest its One UI 7 enhancements.
• Users will find access a simulation of the Now Brief, redesigned app icons, and its refreshed Quick Settings panel changes.
• The Try Galaxy app was originally for Apple's iPhones, but it has since brought its simulation over to Android.
• Samsung confirmed One UI 7 will launch for eligible devices in April.

Samsung is pushing an update for its demo-focused app that might generate some hype around its major Android update.

A post by SamMobile highlights a recent update to the Try Galaxy app that lets users on past-gen Galaxy devices, and other Android phones, demo One UI 7's features. The app's official page reflects its recent update of Samsung's upcoming Android 15-based update. For what to expect, Try Galaxy will simulate some of the newest core systems on your device, like the Now Brief.

The publication's test details a the Now Brief widget is available in this app's demo for your home screen. The small, pill-shaped widget displays some quick information externally before expanding fully once tapped. This experience is exactly what you'd see on a Galaxy S25. Users tapping the widget will receive a simulated briefing packed with weather information, your "schedule," and more.

The playtest also gives users a taste of Samsung's quick panel overhaul. The Quick Settings panel and your notifications panel are now separate in One uI 7. This was something the company teased during SDC 2024 before it debuted on the latest flagship trio.

The One UI 7 simulation also features some smaller software pieces like Samsung's complete icon rework. Galaxy's upcoming app drawer redesign is also included in the Try Galaxy demo, per the publication. Users can head to the official website, scan the QR code, and begin downloading the simulation on Android and iOS.

Funnily enough, Samsung's Try Galaxy app was previously only available for Apple's iPhones as a way to, well, get them to switch. The app would simulate the Android experience on its recent smartphones and even its foldables.

However, the company finally brought its Try Galaxy app to Android users. The move was made as Samsung stepped into its "era of mobile AI." Many of the core Galaxy AI features were present during that test, as well as the company's One UI 6.1 update for interested users. The Galaxy AI playtest let users experiment with Live Translate, Note Assist, and Chat Assist among others.

As if we needed to be more ready for One UI 7, this Try Galaxy update is rolling out (perhaps) a month before the software goes live. Samsung recently confirmed that, after a series of critical delays, One UI 7 should launch for eligible Galaxy devices in April. Meanwhile, it just started its first beta program for the Flip 6 and Fold 6.

What you need to know

• A standout improvement in the One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the revamped app continuity feature.
• Before, users had to manually set up which apps could switch screens, but One UI 7 simplifies things with three new options for app continuity, giving users more control.
• One UI 7 also gives the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s taskbar a much-needed upgrade.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has jumped into Samsung’s One UI 7 beta program, and it’s already showing off some upgrades designed specifically for its foldable form. The update introduces a few tricks from top-tier foldables like the Pixel Fold to make the experience more seamless.

One of the standout tweaks in the One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a smoother app continuity feature. Sure, the phone already had a basic version that lets apps switch between the main and cover screens, but this update fine-tunes the whole process.

Previously, though, users had to manually set up which apps could switch between the main and cover screens. But with One UI 7, Samsung is making things easier by adding three new options for app continuity, giving users more control, as noted by Jeff Springer on X (via Android Police).

The One UI 7 beta kicked off on March 6 for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, rolling out gradually in select regions like India, South Korea, the UK, and the US.

Once you install the One UI 7 beta, you’ll spot three fresh settings for app continuity, such as "Always," "Swipe to continue," and "Never." As the names suggest, "Always" keeps your app moving to the cover screen every time you close the phone, while "Never" stops it completely.

Meanwhile, the "Swipe to continue" option gives you control. It only moves the app to the cover screen if you swipe to confirm, similar to how it works on the OnePlus Open and Pixel Fold. If you don’t swipe in time, the phone just locks.

As shown in Springer’s screenshots, this toggle is tucked away in the Display tab of Settings. Once you turn it on, you can swipe to move apps to the cover screen when you close the phone. The menu does mention that some apps might not work perfectly, but it doesn’t go into details.

A few notable upgrades

One UI 7 also tweaks how the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s taskbar works, fixing a major limitation from One UI 6. Previously, you had to choose between keeping the taskbar always visible or hiding it completely. Now, there’s more flexibility.

With One UI 7, the taskbar also stays visible on the home screen but automatically hides when you open an app. If you need it back, just swipe up from the bottom of the screen, and it pops right up.

Just a week ago, Samsung finally expanded its One UI 7 beta to phones outside of the Galaxy S24 series, which includes the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The update brings more or less the same changes that we’ve seen on Samsung’s phones, including an updated UI, the new Now Bar, and more. However, there’s one change in particular that caught my attention, and it feels like Samsung is taking the right steps toward improving the cover screen experience.

I’m talking about using apps on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover screen. This has always been a pain point for me with Samsung’s flip phones, as the company hides this function behind menus and severely limits the built-in functionality to allow just a handful of apps on the cover screen. That is unless you know how to download Good Lock and install the MultiStar module, which allows users to add a new panel with access to almost any app on their phone.

The problem is that not everyone who picks up the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is going to know this, and I’ve had to explain this process to a few people I’ve run into with the phone, who are always surprised to learn that they can do so much more on their external display. I feel like it’s a missed opportunity on Samsung’s part because there’s so much more screen to take advantage of.

With the One UI 7 beta, Samsung takes a small but important step toward remedying this. In the Labs menu, where you can enable cover screen apps, I noticed a large “Get MultiStar” button that sends users directly to the module in the Galaxy Store. Above the button is a short description that reads: “Download and install MultiStar to allow more apps on the cover screen.”

The button will essentially bypass the Good Lock app and take users straight to the source. After it is installed, users can go to the Cover screen menu, where they can enable the Launcher widget under MultiStar. Alternatively, users can hit that same "Get MultiStar" button from before, which will take them straight to the Launcher editor, where they can select the apps they want on their cover screen.

The overall experience of using apps on the cover screen hasn’t really changed much, which is a little disappointing, given how One UI 7 has revamped so much of the overall user experience. For example, there’s still no way to multitask, you’ll actually need the app present on the Launcher for it to open via a notification, and you’ll still need to open the phone for certain tasks. It’s still an inferior experience to the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, which lets you use apps on the cover screen out of the box and without going through hoops to make it happen.

That said, something as simple as adding a button can go a long way toward making more people aware of what the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can do without even opening the phone. Short of completely revamping the entire cover screen experience, this is the kind of awareness I’ve been hoping to see from Samsung.

There are rumors that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will feature a more expansive cover screen, which could measure at least 3.6 inches or be as big as the one on the Razr Plus 2024. This is also a good sign that Samsung could be working towards rethinking its cover screen strategy from being completely panel-focused to giving users more freedom with the smaller display.

As much as I love the Motorola Razr, I really hope that Samsung takes this small change even further with the next major update and fully embraces cover screen apps without the need for the MultiStar app. This could make the upcoming flip phone battle between Motorola and Samsung much more interesting when the Razr 2025 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 launch later this year.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week we look at some of the coolest innovations we came across at MWC, Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro launch, One UI 7 delays, Pixel's March feature drop, and OnePlus clarifying its update policy. Let's get into it.

MWC Wrap up

Read more here and here.

While MWC showcases some of the best and upcoming innovations in tech, it also shows us some technology that we'd take a second look at. This made us think about what exactly the company was thinking while creating these devices.

For instance, Samsung's claw-like tri-fold, which looks like a flip but would fold on both ends, leaving half an inch of gap in the center. Instead of folding two halves together, this phone folds in two separate sections, which closes the phone like you would close your fist.

Next up is the Tecno Spark Slim, which looks cool and is the world's slimmest phone with a 5,200mAh batter, measuring just 5.75mm in thickness. It gets better, at the rear, the camera bar looks like a futuristic robot's eyes, connected by LEDs with unibody ceramic or stainless steel rear panels. Hope you're taking notes, Samsung!

Xiaomi took accessorizing to another level, with a custom Xiaomi 15 showcased at the event that had a large magnetic ring on its rear that could attach a bigger camera lens, instantly converting your phone into a DSLR camera.

Some of the other things that the AC team spotted were Honor's AI-powered robotic hand on display that onlookers could interact with, Nubia Focus 2 Ultra, which features a ring around the camera housing that can be physically rotated to control the zoom, UAE's Humanoid robot that kinda creeped them out and more.

Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro

Read more here.

Nothing has finally unveiled its newest flagship devices at the MWC in Barcelona. The Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro come with 6.7-inch AMOLED displays protected by Panda Glass. The phones are powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and run the Nothing OS 3.1 out of the box, which is built on top of Android 15.

Both phones get camera upgrades; the Phone 3a showcases a pill-shaped horizontal camera setup with a 50MP main camera, another 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultrawide lens on the back, while the selfie camera sports a 32MP lens. The Phone 3a Pro's circular triple camera array comes with a 50MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide, and another 50MP periscope sensor with 3x optical zoom.

A new action button on the side will bring up Essential Space—the new AI-powered hub that allows users to pen down their ideas with just a click of a button. The Phone 3a costs $379, while the Pro version starts at $459.

A longer wait for One UI 7

Read more here.

One UI 7 beta builds have been rolling out in full swing for the past couple of months; however, the wait for a stable version continues to get longer. That said, we now know when we will get the update, as Samsung announced this week that it will release One UI 7 starting in April.

The Korean OEM also went on to say that it will bring three One UI 7 beta builds before the official rollout for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Z Fold 6, Galaxy S23 series, and Galaxy Tab S10 series. Samsung explains in the press release that One UI 7 integrates "leading AI agents with multimodal capabilities into every touch point of the interface."

While we wait for the much-awaited One UI 7 to drop, rumors have been cropping up recently that Samsung will skip its minor point updates for One UI 7 and jump to releasing One UI 8 soon. A tipster spotted a test-built version of the said software for the Galaxy S25 series. He claims that Samsung has started working on this build two months earlier than usual.

March Pixel update turned out to be a fun one

Read more here.

March's drop came with loads of new features for Pixel users to experiment with. This includes features like AI-powered spam detection over calls and suspicious text alerts that will "flag text patterns commonly associated with scams."

Up next is Google's Find My Device app, which now lets users share their live location only with "trusted contacts." In an attempt to make the user feel safe in tricky situations.

Third, the devices get a cool feature for the camera called "Connected Cameras." Limited to the Pixel 9 series, the company states that it allows you to "Connect your Pixel phone with a GoPro or other Pixel phone camera, and use popular social apps to stream from different angles."

Pixel Watches weren't left behind either, as they gained a new feature called Loss of Pulse detection. If your watch can't detect a pulse, it will first send you a notification checking on you, and if you're unresponsive, it will automatically call emergency services. Finally, women with the watch can breathe a sigh of relief as Menstrual Cycle tracking has landed on the Pixel Watch 3. Users can now log their period, view cycle status, or see a prediction about the next one from the Watch 3.

OnePlus and its updates dilemma

Read more here.

Initially, when the OnePlus Watch 3 dropped, the company stated that it would get only 2 years of security updates. However, it seemed like it was a miscommunication from the company, and OnePlus contacted us to confirm that both the Watch 2 and Watch 3 will receive "3 years of quarterly security updates."

Additionally, while the watch will receive "3 years of software updates," that won't include version updates, which will be limited to two. The OnePlus Watch 2 launched with Wear OS 4 and will stop at Wear OS 6 in 2026. The OnePlus Watch 3 will eventually receive Wear OS 7 in 2027, OnePlus stated.

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• New leak spills more details on the upcoming Pixel 9a
• Android Auto's next update could bring controls for a more comfortable car ride
• Google Home Max will soon lose support for a critical safety feature
• Samsung is rolling out its One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Fold 6
• Honor Magic V4 specs have leaked, and the Oppo Find N5 should be scared
• Pixel Camera 9.8 rolls out alongside the March Feature Drop with new tweaks
• Google tests experimental 'AI Mode' enhancing search results
• Google takes home 'Smartphone of the Year' award at MWC for the second straight year
• Google Pixel 10 to debut with exclusive AI-powered assistant 'Pixie'
• Google Calendar's web client gains a Gemini in Workspace side panel

What you need to know

• A leak surfaced online that shows off test build versions of the alleged One UI 8 in development.
• Leaker Tarun Vats took to X to post a screenshot of the build version S938BXXU1BYC1/S938BOXM1BYC1/S938BXXU1BYC1 of the said software for the Galaxy S25 series.
• He claims that Samsung has started working on this build two months earlier than usual.

There has been a lot of chatter lately that Samsung could be skipping a couple of major software update steps and jumping straight to the next major software release.

It was just a couple of days ago that Iceuniverse took to X with a bold claim stating the Korean OEM will likely be skipping the One UI 7.1 and 7.1.1 updates and instead will be bringing in a major One UI 8. This is a curious move where, even before officially releasing the much-delayed stable One UI 7 build for the majority of devices, it seems to be developing the new One UI 8.

Another leaker, Tarun Vats, seems to have spotted a new build in development indicating that the One UI 8 powered by Android 16 could likely be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S25 series. He claims that the company started developing the software update two months earlier than usual and that he spotted it being internally tested on the Galaxy S25 series. The build version is as follows:

S938BXXU1BYC1/S938BOXM1BYC1/S938BXXU1BYC1

Samsung seems to be fast-tracking its next update in an attempt to keep up with Google's Android 16 rollout that is set to take place in June, as confirmed by the tech giant during MWC. Also because of the lack of time to develop smaller UI builds before the One UI 8 hits devices.

Historically, Samsung drops its major software updates closer to October every year. However, this time around, with the OneUI 7, it's a different story. There's no doubt that the One UI 7 rollout has been continuously pushed out since last year, and now its stable version is set to drop on devices only in April.

However, if Samsung is testing out the One UI 8 two months early, we're keeping our hopes up that beta versions of the build could show up earlier in the Fall.

What you need to know

• Surprising rumors claim Samsung is interested in rolling out its Android 16-based software, One UI 8, much earlier this year.
• A tipster on X states the company "will not" do incremental updates like "One UI 7.1" or a "One UI 7.1.1."
• One UI 7 has been met with incredible delays since the fall of 2024; however, Samsung states it should rollout officially in April.
• Android 16 is also expected to debut much earlier this year from Google, perhaps in Q2 2025.

Don't think anyone had this on their bingo card; rumors claim Samsung's Android 16-based update could rollout soon after its (delayed) Android 15 upgrade.

The rumor was posted on X by prominent tipster IceUniverse, claiming Samsung's One UI 8 update could rollout much sooner this year (via Pocket-lint). The Korean OEM typically launches its major Android upgrade toward the fall, sometime after Google releases it.

However, the tipster states we might see a rush order in for One UI 8 as Samsung skips the in-between updates for One UI 7.

IceUniverse states Galaxy users might not see a "One UI 7.1" or "One UI 7.1.1" this year, like we have with One UI 6 throughout 2024. Unfortunately, rumors end there as the tipster doesn't purport a potential timeline for a One UI 8 (Android 16) launch for Galaxy devices.

There's no hiding the fact that One UI 7 has been continuously hit with delays since last year. Just as Galaxy users thought they were in the clear, another one was reported in February — which then came true later that month. Samsung rolled out One UI 7 Beta 5 quickly after Beta 4, packed with a few bug fixes and solutions for crashes. The software was delayed (again) in February due to a display issue with a screen optimization mode.

Fast-forward to March and the company announced its major One UI 7 (Android 15) update should arrive officially in April for eligible devices.

Things become interesting here as, according to Samsung, it will begin a beta program for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6, Galaxy S23 series, and Galaxy Tab S10 series in March. Hopefully, these devices won't see as many delays, especially when you factor in what rumors suggest today.

Another point to consider is Google is working to release Android 16 much quicker in 2025 than it has previously. Android 16 Beta 2 rolled out in February, which was pretty on track for Google's set schedule this year. The company is interested in launching the next software in Q2 2025, urging our eyes toward an April and June timeframe.

It seems like Samsung is trying to rush One UI 8 because of this — for competition and user postivity, no doubt. We'll have to wait and see what happens with One UI 7 first, though.

What you need to know

• Samsung highlighted a couple of new Health app features for Galaxy phones "later this month."
• The Sleep Environment Report will offer insights into how to improve your sleep, thanks to SmartThings, based on the room's temperature, humidity, and more.
• The update is aimed at One UI 7 devices and will offer an "Activity Consistency" addition to the Health app's Energy Score.
• Users are still awaiting One UI 7 (which could drop in April) as the Galaxy S25 series is the only trio with it.

We're approaching the dreaded Daylight Savings (where we spring ahead) but, to help, Samsung is discussing a couple of new updates.

In a blog post, Samsung's research from 2024 showed how Daylight Savings Time (DST) affects users across varying age groups. While younger people are affected the hardest, the company says it's preparing a few updates to help all its users recoup some of that lost sleep. Samsung highlighted two major updates, beginning with "creating an ideal sleep environment."

The post announces there will be a Samsung Health app update "later this month" that brings a familiar feature: the Sleep Environment Report.

The sole purpose of this tool is to give the user "guidance" and "analysis" about where they lay their head. In short, environmental factors like the room's temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels can negatively (or positively) impact your rest. All of this information is gathered by the report's integration with SmartThings. If anything is out of alignment, the Health app's report will inform you so you can make the right call.

With this en route for Galaxy phones, Samsung says not everyone will get this later in March. According to its post, the Sleep Environment Report will drop for One UI 7 devices — basically, the Galaxy S25 series — for Health app versions 6.29.5 or higher. Since the report leverages SmartThings, the company says you must ensure your device is connected to it.

The second update concerns the Health app's Energy Score, detailing how far you can push yourself daily. Samsung says the update will provide a new metric: Activity Consistency. The company says it's designed to "help you understand your overall condition in greater detail." It will analyze your activity levels "over the past four weeks" to accomplish this.

The Sleep Environment Report will sound familiar if you checked out Samsung's major Galaxy Ring announcement. Not only was the smart ring available in a few new sizes, but it also grabbed a couple of new Health app features, one of which was its sleep time guidance report. The feature works similarly to what Samsung is preparing to drop for its Galaxy phones later in March. The report offers insight into your sleeping conditions to help facilitate better sleep quality using the Galaxy Ring.

Also, Energy Score insights was introduced on the Galaxy Watch during the fall when Samsung rolled out its Wear OS 5-based update. That press release highlighted its "intuitive" nature, delivering a score based on your sleep, physical activity, heart rate, and more. When you wake up, that score will clue you into how hard you should or shouldn't push yourself.

One UI 7 devices are the only ones preparing for this update later in March. While that's a bummer, Samsung recently said other eligible phones should begin receiving its major Android update in April.

What you need to know

• Samsung has brought some clarity to the One UI 7 rollout, confirming that the update will be publicly available next month.
• One UI 7 beta programs will open for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6, Galaxy S23 series, and Galaxy Tab S10 series at various points this month.
• There's also a hint that Samsung could start charging for Galaxy AI in the future.

Samsung will publicly release One UI 7 starting in April 2025, the company announced today in a press release. The launch month is expected to be the conclusion of a lengthy development and rollout process, which included a beta program that started in December 2024 and has seen multiple delays. The company will introduce three One UI 7 beta programs before the official rollout, for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6, Galaxy S23 series, and Galaxy Tab S10 series.

Users became antsy for One UI 7 to hit older devices after it debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series earlier this year, and arrived on the new budget Galaxy A series just last week.

Now, the company is confirming that a One UI 7 beta program for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 will become available starting this week. To join the One UI 7 beta program, you can apply in the Samsung Members app with an eligible device. Act fast if you want to try it, because Samsung eventually closed sign-ups for the One UI 7 beta program on the Galaxy S24 series.

After expanding to the 2024 lineup of Galaxy foldables, Samsung will bring a One UI 7 beta program to the Galaxy S23 series and the Galaxy Tab S10 series. Just like for the other Galaxy devices, users can register for the beta program in the Samsung Members app. The company notes that the beta will be available in India, Korea, the U.K., and the U.S., and that "availability may vary by device model and market."

Samsung explains in the press release that One UI 7 integrates "leading AI agents with multimodal capabilities into every touch point of the interface."

Notably, the company also reminds users in the footnotes that Galaxy AI features are only going to be provided for free until the end of 2025. Samsung could always extend that timeline, but it's starting to look like it might charge for Galaxy AI at some point.

After numerous delays, users of older Galaxy devices are finally in the home stretch, as Samsung confirms that One UI 7 will reach public availability and stability next month.

What you need to know

• The upcoming Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus renders reveal a notable display, single camera visor, and flat-edge design.
• It is tipped to carry an aluminum build and weigh significantly less yet look big enough.
• The tablet is further expected to ship with Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the box.

Last month, we learned about some of the rumored specs for Samsung’s upcoming tablet. The latest leak, however, displays the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus in full via renders.

The renders were shared to SammyGuru by prominent leaker OnLeaks, and are believed to be CAD renders of the upcoming Android tablet — revealing the Fan Edition device’s design and dimensions.

Like the flagship counterparts, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, the Fan Edition tablet also carries a similar design; however, there appears to be only a single camera at the back instead of two as witnessed in last year’s models.

Per the renders, the tablet carries a slimmer form factor and a taller display with symmetrical bezels. It also features rounded corners next to flat sides like the Tab S10 Plus. It will likely carry an aluminum build, which should make the tablet lighter in hand. The leak further indicates that it would carry 300.5mm x 194.7mm x 6mm dimensions — making it a significantly slimmer Android tablet.

The other expected specifications of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus include a 13.1-inch IPS LCD display — a notable increase over the previous iteration, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus.

Previous leaks have indicated that there is also a regular Galaxy Tab S10 FE alongside the Plus model. Both models are expected to be powered by an Exynos 1580 chipset — an in-house developed mid-range processor. The models are also tipped to carry at least 12GB of RAM paired with 256GB of onboard storage. The Plus model is also rumored to support the S-Pen, feature a 12MP selfie camera, and ship with One UI 7 out of the box.

The launch timeframe of the upcoming Galaxy Tab S10 Plus FE tablet is yet to be determined. Going by the previous iteration’s launch, we should be seeing the Android tablet somewhere in October.

• Tablet deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Samsung | Amazon | Dell |

What you need to know

• A tipster has spotted One UI 7 beta builds for the Samsung Galaxy S23 on test servers.
• This comes after beta builds appeared for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 earlier this week.
• It's a sign that a One UI 7 beta program could soon come for the Galaxy S23 series.

Samsung hasn't announced One UI 7 beta programs for devices other than the three main Galaxy S24 models; however, there are signs that point to an expansion.

A minor hint that Samsung could add beta programs for other devices soon is the appearance of One UI 7 beta pages on the company's official community forums for phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy S23. The real indicator that a phone is about to get a One UI 7 beta is when beta builds appear on test servers — and that just happened for the Samsung Galaxy S23.

The first One UI 7 beta build for the Galaxy S23 appeared on test servers today, Feb. 27, according to Android tipster Tarun Vats on X (formerly Twitter). The post identifies the build version of S918NKSU6ZYBG, with a CSC number of S918NOKR6ZYBG and a baseband version of S918NKSU6DYBG. While this doesn't amount to an official announcement, it's a good sign that a One UI 7 beta is coming for the Galaxy S23 soon.

That might not be great news for Samsung Galaxy S23 owners. If a One UI 7 beta program launches now for a phone, it'll likely be weeks or months before a stable version is ready. That means Galaxy S23 owners could be waiting until April or longer for a public release of One UI 7. For reference, the One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy S24 started in December and has gone through five releases so far.

The apparent move comes shortly after One UI 7 beta builds appeared on test servers for Samsung's 2024 foldables. Both the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 appear to have beta builds in the pipeline. This would suggest Samsung plans to run beta programs for some, if not all, of the phones set to get One UI 7.

What you need to know

• Signs point to Samsung bringing a One UI 7 beta program to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6.
• The start of the beta program soon could mean a stable, public release is weeks or months away.
• Samsung still hasn't brought One UI 7 to phones other than the new Galaxy S25 series.

Samsung's delays bringing One UI 7 to its older phones have frustrated users thus far, and things have looked extremely bleak for people using Galaxy phones other than the Galaxy S24. While the company is deep into the beta program for the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra, those are the only phones currently eligible for the One UI 7 beta. That might be changing soon, as recent signs point to Samsung prepping a beta program for its 2024 foldables.

The One UI 7 beta might soon become available for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, according to Tarun Vats on X (formerly Twitter). The Android tipster first claimed to spot One UI 7 beta builds for Fold and Flip phones on test servers in Europe and India in a post. That was followed up by another today, Feb. 25, sharing the official One UI 7 beta forum page that now appears on the community website for the 2024 foldables.

Notably, Vats says that the One UI 7 beta program page was created for multiple Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S23, "long ago." However, the tipster concludes that the pages launching for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, combined with the beta build information, is a good sign that a beta program could launch soon.

While these moves signal that a One UI 7 beta program for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 may be on the way, it might also point to a stable, public release being a long way out. Samsung has spent months refining the One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy S24 lineup — the company is currently on its fifth One UI 7 beta release. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 will likely need to go through this lengthy process, too.

This isn't ideal for Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 owners, who have paid top-dollar for some of Samsung's most expensive phones. Some of them have expressed their frustration on Samsung's community forums for each of the phones.

At the very least, a beta program for Samsung's foldables would be a step in the right direction toward an official release.

What you need to know

• Samsung quickly released a One UI 7 beta update, its fifth for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.
• The patch comes just days after the fourth beta was seeded and fixes a bug that caused Visual Voicemail to crash.
• It's still unclear when One UI 7 will release publicly for Galaxy S24 owners.

Samsung's delays bringing One UI 7 to older devices have been well-chronicled, and that continues as the company seeded its fifth beta update for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series today, Feb. 21. The minor update is appearing for U.S. users on AT&T and Verizon to start, and is available as an OTA update for users in the One UI 7 Beta program, as reported by SamMobile.

This update comes just days after the fourth One UI 7 beta, and carries a version number of S92xU1UEU4ZYBB. It's available for the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, and Galaxy S24 Ultra if the device is enrolled in the beta program already. It's relatively small, with an update size of roughly 450MB, according to SamMobile. The exact size of the update may depend on your device and carrier. The patch might arrive in other regions and networks in the future.

To see if your Galaxy S24 is eligible for the update, open the Settings app and navigate to Software update > Download and install.

The latest One UI 7 beta update comes a few weeks after Samsung acknowledged that the operating system's release for older phones would be delayed. In a community post Feb. 6, the company said it planned to release a fourth beta update fixing a bug that "causes the display color temperature to appear more yellow than intended." Of course, if you're keeping track at home, the update released today is the fifth One UI 7 beta update for Galaxy S24 owners in the U.S.

According to the patch's release notes, this update includes a fix for a Visual Voicemail crash problem reported by testers.

It's unclear when One UI 7 will reach stability for the Galaxy S24 lineup and other Galaxy phones. Shortly after the Galaxy S25 debuted, Samsung pledged to bring it to older devices "imminently" and that users should expect it sometime in Q1 2025. We don't know if that timetable has been pushed back due to the latest round of delays.

With the Samsung Galaxy S25, the company doubled down on AI. The trio of smartphones — the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra — are equipped with a bunch of Google AI and Galaxy AI tools and features. One of them is called AI Drawing Assist, and it's a general term for all the ways Galaxy AI can turn quick doodles into generative AI masterpieces.

AI Drawing Assist can be used throughout the One UI 7 that powers the Galaxy AI and is accessible in a few different ways. If you're curious about how to use AI Drawing Assist with Samsung apps and across One UI, this guide covers everything you need to know.

AI Drawing Assist: Supported apps & devices

AI Drawing Assist is available on the entire Galaxy S25 series, but also older Galaxy phones, including the S24 series, S23 series, S22 series, Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Tab S10 series, Tab S9 series, and Tab S8 series. It's not available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, according to Samsung. "Ultra" phones that feature an S Pen will have access to more precise drawing or sketching, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra can't use Air Commands like older S Pen-equipped models.

The official Samsung Notes and Gallery apps have built-in support for AI Drawing Assist. Alternatively, you can use AI Drawing Assist anywhere by calling up AI Smart Select or Drawing Assist from the Edge panel.

How to use AI Drawing Assist with Smart Select

The easiest way to use AI Drawing Assist is by opening the Edge panel, which can be done from anywhere in One UI. From there, you can use Smart Select to alter any image on your screen or use Drawing Assist to create one from scratch. Here's how to do it:

1. Swipe left on the Edge panel toward the upper-right part of the screen.

2. Tap either AI Select or Smart Select, depending on what is shown on your device.

3. With AI Select or Smart Select, tap on something on your screen to select it.

4. Tap Sketch to Image or Drawing Assist to open the editor. Draw something or use text to describe what you want to change.

5. From there, tap one of the six Drawing Assist styles and press Generate.

6. When you're happy with your image, use the toolbar to copy the creation to your clipboard, share it, or download it.

After that, you've made your first Drawing Assist creation. If you don't need to remix an existing image and want to start your own from scratch, you can skip the Smart Select process by pressing Drawing Assist directly from the Edge panel.

How to use AI Drawing Assist with Samsung Gallery

AI Drawing Assist is built into certain Samsung apps, with no need to use the Edge panel. The stock Samsung Gallery app — not Google Photos — is one of them. Here's how to use Drawing Assist and Sketch to Image in the Gallery app:

1. Open the Gallery app and tap a photo you want to edit.

2. Tap the Photo Assist icon (it looks like three stars).

3. Press the Sketch to Image button.

4. Use the drawing tool to sketch what you want to add to the photo. You can use the eraser tool and undo/redo buttons to refine the sketch.

5. Tap Generate when you're finished sketching.

6. Press Save copy when finished.

Now, the photo you edited with AI Drawing Assist will be saved to your Gallery.

How to use AI Drawing Assist with Samsung Notes

A similar mechanism for using AI Drawing Assist is available in Samsung Notes. After sketching something in Notes, you can refine it with Sketch to Image and Drawing Assist. Here's how it works:

1. Create a new note in Samsung Notes.

2. Tap the Note Assist icon (it looks like three stars).

3. Press Sketch to Image and select the drawing you want to edit.

4. Pick a Drawing Assist style and tap Generate.

5. After getting your image, you can tap Generate one more to get another option.

6. When you've found one you're happy with, tap Copy to add it to your clipboard or Replace to swap the AI Drawing Assist image with your original sketch.

Why you should use AI Drawing Assist

If AI Drawing Assist on the Samsung Galaxy S25 sounds a little familiar, it should. We've seen many of these features on past Galaxy phones and tablets, like Sketch to Image, but they haven't been tightly integrated like they are on the Galaxy S25. Specifically, this is the first time AI Drawing Assist can handle multiple inputs — like a photo and a sketch, or a photo and a text-to-image prompt.

This makes AI Drawing Assist on the Galaxy S25 more versatile than ever, and it's a fun way to one-up your notes are images. During my testing of the base Galaxy S25, I got more than a few great images using Samsung's generative AI.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week took us through OnePlus' decision to stall the launch of its next foldable, Android Beta 2 arrived, Samsung devices got a new One UI 7 feature, TikTok resurrects in app stores, and Spotify premium users faced a unique glitch. Let's dive in.

OnePlus Open 2 won't launch this year

Read more here.

OnePlus is leaving the foldables scene, at least for this year. In a community blog post on their foldable strategy, Vale G, a OnePlus product manager, said the company is 'recalibrating their foldable strategy' and confirmed that it will be holding off on launching a OnePlus Open 2.

"At OnePlus, our core strength and passion lie in setting new benchmarks and challenging the status quo across all product categories. With that in mind, we’ve carefully considered the timing and our next steps in foldable devices, and we have made the decision not to release a foldable this year," the community post explained.

Since OnePlus and OPPO are sister companies, the two share combined hardware and research teams, as well as a common software codebase. It looks like the focus is now fully on launching the world's thinnest foldable, the OPPO Find N5, in the next couple of weeks. That said, OpenPlus doesn't fully rule out the possibility of launching Open 2 in the future.

"While this may come as a surprise, we believe this is the right approach for us at this time. That said, our decision to pause on foldable for this generation does not signify a departure from the category," the community post added.

While the OnePlus Open 2 won't make an appearance this year, the company's next wearable will still launch as scheduled. The company revealed the first full look of its OnePlus Watch 3, which will launch on February 18 in the US, Canada, and European markets.

In a detailed press release, the OnePlus claims that this new watch is set to blend in with the user's daily needs with a "classic, premium, and durable design." That said, the company is going full throttle on its "Never Settle" mantra by offering the Watch 3 with a whopping 16-day battery life on power saver mode and a prolonged 120 hours of battery on Smart mode. This is a bump from the 100-hour limit on its predecessor.

Android 16 Beta 2 arrives with some fun updates

Read more here.

Earlier this week, Google released the second beta of Android 16 to Pixel phones enrolled for it. The update came with some much-needed media, camera, and graphics features. The Beta 2 comes with something called the 'hybrid auto-exposure mode,' which allows users manual and auto-exposure options while capturing images.

Right now, users can choose either one of the above and not a combination of the two settings. With Android 16 Beta 2, they can control ISO or exposure time and use auto-exposure algorithms simultaneously. Beta 2 also brings actions for motion photos, a combination of still images and short videos with audio so that developers can decide where the motion photo will be saved.

Google remains on track to meet its new Android release schedule, meaning Android 16 will be released to the public in the second quarter of 2025.

One UI 7 brings fun Home Up Refresh feature

Read more here.

Samsung's One UI 7 Home Up Module was spotted on a Reddit thread recently, obviously a beta version of the feature. The original poster displayed the "limitless" possibilities of the refreshed module in One UI 7, which showcased apps and folder placement. Pinching inward on their display brought up the usual home screen editing options but with a newly added "DIY Home" button.

What's more, is that tapping on the icon gives users complete freedom over the size and orientation of an app widget or folder. With this, you could basically place any app icon anywhere you'd like on the home screen without following the rules of the usual grid. The user is also able to overlap widgets and apps for a truly chaotic home screen. The demo only shows these changes applying to the apps above the bottom toolbar like messaging, phone calls, contacts, or anything else. Additionally, tapping a folder that's been rotated or upside down will open apps in it as normal.

People enrolled in the beta program can give these customizations a go. However, the company is reportedly pushing back the stable rollout of this OS on the Galaxy S24 due to a display coloring issue. Samsung stated that One UI 7 was preparing to hit older Galaxy S devices "imminently" in Q1 2025.

TikTok is back in US app stores

Read more here.

After a good 20-day break, Tiktok made a comeback on app stores. in the U.S. following the government's reported "reassurances." According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, TikTok was first spotted on the Apple App Store. Several other users took to X, stating that the app had on Feb. 12. It looks like the app was being made available in phases and rolled out to most users today Feb.14.

Additionally, the publication reports that the app has reappeared on the Google Play Store. Android Central has also spotted TikTok's availability via the Play Store, so users who may have deleted the app or never had it can now download it.

While this may be good news for several avid TikTok-ers, Bloomberg states it has 75 days (from Jan 20) to find common ground with the U.S. government over privacy/security concerns. This looks like an interim solution while the company buys time to settle things with the present authorities.

Spotify bug messed with Premium subscribers

Spotify premium subscribers had a frustrating experience this week. Despite paying $12 per month for an ad-free service, they ended up hearing commercial ads that disrupted their podcast or music. There were multiple reports of this issue on Spotify's community forums, dating back to last Friday, Feb. 7. People were reporting issues and reaching out to support in multiple ways, with one user saying that it has been "impossible to talk to anyone at Spotify."

Only a week later, Spotify seemed to look into the issue. Spotify said, "Our tech teams are currently investigating reports of Premium users hearing ads. We'll keep you posted here if we have any news to share, so make sure to Subscribe to the thread to stay tuned."

Initially, the company asked users affected to add to the thread their device information, app version or web player, the type of ad they heard, and any troubleshooting steps they've already taken.

However, a few hours later, Spotify posted an update on its community forum confirming that the issue was the result of a bug and has since been fixed. "We have good news from our teams a fix for the instances where Premium users noticed ads when listening to music has been deployed and you should notice a difference right away," the company said. "It's worth keeping in mind, however, that it is expected that both free & Premium users may still see ads when listening to podcasts."

More stories this week

• YouTube TV reaches temporary deal to keep Paramount channels, including CBS
• Google Contacts gets a sweet, emoji-based profile update for people you've saved
• Duolingo's Duo the Owl and other characters are being taken out, one by one
• Nothing's Qualcomm teaser might signify a budget SoC for the Phone 3a
• Google updates Gemini Live, plans screen sharing and live video support
• The first Galaxy S25 update is here with a trove of security fixes post-launch
• Past-gen Galaxy S phones could miss out on a large part of One UI 7's AI
• New Galaxy A56 and A36 renders surface indicating an imminent launch
• Galaxy S25 Ultra fairs well in iFixit teardown, but Samsung still has work to do
• YouTube wants to use machine learning to figure out who's lying about their age

What you need to know

• A Samsung interview with its EVP and head of Framework R&D, Sally, highlighted the toll its AI in One UI 7 takes on devices.
• Sally states that major on-device processes, like the personal data engine, require stronger internal hardware, like the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
• Samsung states many older devices will miss out on a "deeper AI experience" due to hardware limitations.
• This echoes what happened with Galaxy AI as some phones saw very few features arrive in 2024.

Samsung recently spoke about its latest "AI Innovations" with One UI 7, which also came with a warning for past-gen devices.

Seeing as the Galaxy S25 series launched with One UI 7 (Android 15), Samsung's EVP and head of the Framework R&D, Sally, was interviewed (Indonesia) about its features (via SamMobile). While the company exec touched on the major user interface design changes and other One UI updates, one of the major highlights was its AI.

Specifically, when discussing "exclusive Galaxy S25 AI features," Sally mentioned that the software's AI is broken into two parts: hardware reliance and not.

Sally states One UI 7's "personal data engine" is a huge part of the OS, but it's a feature that utilizes on-device processing technology. It's this fact alone that forces a huge reliance on the strength of the chipset inside the phone. Sally states the personal data engine is made possible by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and its capabilities to support such rigorous on-device processing.

Sally adds features like this "really require advanced chipsets and hardware like those found on the Galaxy S25 Series."

According to Sally, "more affordable devices" will likely miss out on "deeper on-device AI experiences" like the personal data engine, which creates a more personalized AI experience for users. Moreover, Samsung states "We strive to provide the best features according to the device's capabilities and user needs."

Unfortunately, Sally didn't explain which features (and which past-gen phones) could lack the personal data engine. For context, the personal data engine was described by Samsung as "Galaxy's approach to AI personalization."The engine helps protect users' data when using its on-device software. It also remains to be seen if Samsung's lock screen Now Bar/Now Brief app info will be affected by hardware limitations.

This is a selection of curated app activities for users that can help get them started in the day or help them plan. Samsung states the Now Bar is designed to be an "insightful experience" that's deeply involved in the apps you use the most.

On a related note, One UI 7's AI limitations echo what happened with Galaxy AI's main functions after the Galaxy S24's launch. Many of Samsung's older Galaxy S and Galaxy Z foldables were hit with AI restrictions due to the limitations of the hardware. Devices like the Galaxy S21, Flip 3, and Fold 3 were only able to receive two Galaxy AI features as their dated hardware couldn't handle much else.

We still have a ways to go until any Galaxy S device sees One UI 7, despite Samsung's confirmation that it was arriving "imminently." However, another beta might befall the Galaxy S24 series before One UI 7 arrives officially.

What you need to know

• Users on Reddit discussed the refreshed changes to One UI 7's Good Lock module, Home Up.
• A demo video showcases complete control over your home screen as users can rotate apps, folders, and widgets without being restricted to a grid.
• Samsung previously stated that One UI 7 was on its way to older Galaxy S devices "imminently," but Galaxy S24 users could see a fourth beta.

Users are starting to unravel Samsung's changes to a Good Lock module app that allows for some crazy customization.

A thread on Reddit showed off the capabilities of Samsung's One UI 7 Home Up module revamp in the beta. The original poster displayed the "limitless" possibilities of the refreshed module in One UI 7, which involves app/folder placement. Pinching inward on their display brought up the usual home screen editing options but with an added "DIY Home" button.

Tapping it gives users complete freedom over the size and orientation of an app widget, or folder.

More importantly, the usual grid-view we have on Android is seemingly tossed out the window. The user isn't restricted to "snapping" anything into a given spot on their home screen as the demo shows them sliding things around to unusual spots. There's even a widget on their screen that's partially out of view.

The user is also able to overlap widgets and apps, for a truly chaotic home screen.

The demo only shows these wacky changes applying the apps above the bottom toolbar where you'd have your static apps like messaging, phone calls, contacts, or anything else. Additionally, tapping a folder that's been rotated or upside down will produce its contents as normal when opened.

Home Up on One UI 7 is crazy from r/oneui

Samsung was reportedly developing a revamp for its Home Up module in Good Lock in October. A tipster on X discovered several upcoming tools like the ability for users to alter the stiffness, friction, blur, and duration of animations through Home Up. Those options were discovered beneath an "advanced tuning" sub-section with the "simple tuning" concerning animation speeds.

While this Reddit demo didn't show off those selections, it did offer a glimpse at its display size customization abilities for folders and apps.

Late in January, a Samsung community member confirmed that Home Up was involved in Good Lock's global refresh for One UI 7. The official post stated Home Up was "one of the most changed apps" in its software upgrade this year. One UI 7 lets users run Home Up's customization functions without opening the app itself.

Those enrolled in the One UI 7 beta can likely try out these wacky customization features and you'll have even more time following Samsung's delay. The company is reportedly interested in pushing back the stable rollout of its OS on the Galaxy S24 yet again due to a display coloring issue. This means that the year-old trio will roll into a fourth beta soon.

Samsung did state that One UI 7 was preparing to hit its past-gen Galaxy S devices "imminently" in Q1 2025.

What you need to know

• A new leak hints that the Galaxy S24 FE could get One UI 7 around March 31, 2025.
• If the leak is legit, the main S24 models (Ultra, Plus, and vanilla variants) will likely get One UI 7 before the S24 FE.
• The Galaxy S24 lineup is still stuck on One UI 6.1.1, even with the February 2025 security update.

A potential leak has shed light on the One UI 7 update timeline for the Galaxy S24 FE, even as the stable version remains elusive for the rest of the S24 series.

Looks like we might finally have a clue about when the Galaxy S24 FE will get One UI 7. Leaker Tarun Vats dropped a hint that it could land around March 31, 2025 (via Android Police).

Take this date with a grain of salt, though. While March 31 sounds like a solid target, firmware rollouts can be pretty unpredictable. Development timelines shift all the time, so things might still change.

Currently, the stable version of One UI 7 is only available on the brand-new Galaxy S25 series. While it’s expected to hit more devices, like the Galaxy S24, down the line, the S24 has been busy testing One UI 7 for the past few months. Interestingly, even with the February 2025 security update, the S24 series is still stuck on One UI 6.1.1.

If the leak is accurate, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24 Plus, and S24 may be first in line for the One UI 7 update, beating the S24 FE to the punch. So assuming the rumors hold up, the main S24 series could get it sometime before March 31.

Since the Galaxy S24 series has been the only one testing One UI 7 in the beta program, it is a safe bet that the S24 FE won’t be at the front of the line for the stable update.

What you need to know

• Samsung has reportedly pushed back the official rollout of One UI 7 on the Galaxy S24 due issues found in Beta 3.
• The company discovered that "Natural" mode in its screen optimization was causing devices to have a more yellow display than intended.
• Samsung says this will be rectified in Beta 4, but it's unclear when One UI 7 will arrive following this delay.
• The OEM confirmed One UI 7 is coming to past-gen Galaxy S phones "imminently" and that it should happen in Q1 2025.

Samsung is sending its Galaxy S24 users into the weekend with some bad news: One UI 7 is getting pushed back — once again.

Late Thursday night (Feb 6), prominent tipster Ice Universe posted a snapshot of a Samsung community member's message about the One UI 7 test (via 9to5Google). The publication machine-translated it, which unearths a staggering issue: the presence of a bug that affects a user's display. According to Samsung, this bug "causes the display color temperature to appear more yellow than intended."

The company adds that this is a result of the "Natural" screen color optimization mode on the S24.

This bug was apparently discovered during Beta 3, to which the community member states it will be patched in the upcoming Beta 4. While most users were eagerly anticipating an official rollout of One UI 7 following the Galaxy S25 launch, it looks like that's not happening.

As Samsung prepares the next beta, it recommends that users experiencing this yellowish screen problem deactivate color optimization. While there is another beta en route, Ice Universe claims the "official version is still a long way off."

It's not clear what this means as Samsung can drop patches one week after the other. Moreover, if this screen issue is the only glaring problem, we could still see One UI 7 arrive in February.

There's a long trail you can follow regarding the extensive delays One UI 7 has faced since last year. Last September, Samsung had reportedly pushed the original start of its Android 15 software back due to stability issues. The company was also said to be discussing the features to rope into the OS upgrade, which could've involved its slew of on-device AI.

A couple of months later, Samsung pushed its One UI 7 start into December due to bugs in the software. That November notice reportedly dealt with bugs within the code that crippled the beta's start, forcing the OEM to shove it further down the road.

Fast-forward to February 2025 and we're still hearing the same thing: software bugs.

For now, we have Beta 3 to experiment with, which launched at the start of January. Typical for Samsung's betas, Beta 3 hauled in a host of fixes for issues Galaxy S24 testers found throughout its duration. A few of those enhancements were for the Game Booster mode alongside a feature addition for Samsung Messages.

Keep in mind: Samsung confirmed that One UI 7 would hit past-gen Galaxy S devices "imminently" toward the end of January. The company said the software should arrive on its phones in Q1 2025, which leaves the rest of February and March before that statement's out the window. The One UI 7 update is expected to bring the Personal Data Engine and the Now Bar to older S-series phones.