Samsung will reveal One UI 7 software at its annual developer conference with new capabilities but can it compete against HarmonyOS NEXT and iOS 18?
Samsung is the largest Android partner and sells most devices in each quarter. Despite this dominance, the South Korean tech firm is a latecomer in the software experience.
It made some changes in One UI 6 including a new quick settings panel and new controls. These are much appreciated by One UI users but that doesn’t reflect any solution for a core issue.
The software feels more rigid and animations are still not fluid enough to fully utilize the device’s hardware performance. The user interface has improved over time yet Samsung could do even better.
One UI 7 will be based on Android 15, the latest Android software version. There are new camera optimizations, better navigation capabilities, satellite connectivity support, and more.
Aside from these, what do the competitors have to offer?
iOS 18
Apple has recently refreshed its iOS operating system for iPhones. It has drastically changed the software UI, improved personalization, and optimized animation effects throughout the system.
For example, the two new popular sections in this new OS are the control center and home screen. Apple is now allowing users to customize the control center and add custom controls.
This feature is already available in Android devices but Apple took it to the next level with new customizations. You can resize control buttons based on the space and group them. iOS 18 users can also manage different control screens based on their categories for an improved experience.
Another addition is the app icons with colors based on a tint selection right on the screen without even going to the settings. These capabilities are far more accessible compared to Samsung or Android.
Coming to the performance, the app and animations open slightly faster and animations are optimized to feel surrealistic, except for the 60Hz devices.
HarmonyOS NEXT
Coming to the new player, HarmonyOS NEXT is a new operating system based on HarmonyOS. Huawei has been polishing this Android-influenced OS for the past four years.
The software has now achieved a native app ecosystem in the Chinese market. It is redesigned for maximum fluidity and physics-based controls.
In comparison to One UI 6, HarmonyOS (not HarmonyOS NEXT) performs far better in smoothness and app interactions. HarmonyOS NEXT has even better interactions with the native experience.
One UI 7 will be better?
Even though Samsung may not achieve superiority over these two software, it should at least come to the same level as its competitors because it will eventually benefit its customers. We’ll see what the company unveils at SDC event.