One lucky X/Twitter user seems to have gotten early access to a device running Samsung’s Android 15-based One UI 7.0 update. They have been sharing snippets of information about One UI 7 the last couple of days. Today is no different.
The latest leak from @chunvn8888 shows the home screen and app drawer with a custom theme applied to the icons using Android’s color palette feature. More importantly, we can see the new bottom search bar for the app drawer.
One UI 7’s bottom app drawer search bar will make one-handed access easier
This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about One UI 7 having the option to show the app drawer search bar at the bottom. But it does appear to be the first time we’re seeing it in action.
It’s unclear if the search bar has permanently moved to the bottom bar. The bottom location is preferable for easy one-handed use, which was one of Samsung’s overall goals when it created the first version of One UI back in 2018. But an option to switch between top and bottom positions would be ideal.
The One UI launcher will also see some other changes with One UI 7. Samsung will let you disable the labels for app icons and widgets on the home screen and app drawer. Samsung is also refreshing the icons for its proprietary apps, a change that hasn’t been as well received as the company might have liked. Some lock screen improvements are in store as well.
One UI 7.0 Beta Program will soon let some users test all the changes
All the changes in One UI 7.0 will be available for beta testing later this year. The beta program was initially rumored to launch on July 29, but it has been delayed, likely because Samsung has yet to bring even One UI 6.1.1 to existing devices following its debut on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6.