Samsung is making one massive mistake with One UI 7

I’ll be the primary one to confess that I’m not the largest One UI connoisseur. I dabble with a spare Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely that my boss purchased within the hopes I’d get aware of Samsung, however strive as I’d, I nonetheless know method, method, far more about Google’s Pixel expertise than I do Samsung’s. I’ve been making an attempt to do higher, although, particularly now that One UI 7 is across the nook. The issue is that even Samsung doesn’t need to make this simple for me, and that, my pals, is Samsung’s greatest subject with One UI 7: Characteristic discoverability.

One among my favourite and most understated apps on my Pixel telephones is Pixel Ideas. Every time I arrange a brand new Pixel or my present telephone receives a giant Android replace or a Pixel drop, I get a bit notification telling me there are new options I ought to discover. I faucet that, and I’m proven every little thing that’s new (or virtually), with massive graphics, nifty animations, and clear explainers, so I do know precisely what my brand-new Pixel is able to or what my outdated one can now obtain.

For the longest time, I wanted Samsung had that. Only a cool little app that exhibits me the brand new options as a substitute of itemizing them in a protracted and boring changelog. I voiced that want on our inside Android Authority Slack and I used to be instantly informed that it already exists. What do you imply it exists? Effectively, disgrace on me for not recognizing the large orange Ideas app icon in my dozen-horizontal-page drawer, but in addition, disgrace on Samsung for not pushing this ahead extra.

So this Samsung Ideas app exists (standalone or accessible from the Settings menu) and, similar to the Pixel Ideas app, it has a listing of Samsung’s greatest options, explainers round Galaxy AI, and, for many who enrolled within the One UI 7 beta, it additionally lists a number of the new options. There are animations exhibiting all of the options in motion and fast shortcut buttons to alter a setting to allow a brand new choice… precisely like Pixel Ideas.

The place it doesn’t copy Pixel Ideas, although, is with being proactive about notifying me and different customers about every little thing it has in retailer. So if I’m a Samsung consumer and I simply obtained an replace, I by no means know what’s modified, what’s new, and what my telephone is able to. Not except I am going digging on my own. That’s unhappy.

Compared, Google doesn’t thoughts poking me repeatedly till I examine the brand new options. “Your Pixel obtained extra useful” is significantly the most effective notifications I get on my telephone and I like that it helps me uncover what’s new. I work within the tech trade, but there are nonetheless instances after I don’t have time to learn a complete changelog, so Pixel Ideas is invaluable to me after I need a cheat sheet to catch up. It’s additionally an superior software for reminding me of why I like the Pixel expertise. Does Samsung not care about creating such a loyal feeling for its customers?

Samsung does all of the work however doesn’t flaunt it

Perhaps I’m being harsh in my evaluation, however I really need the most effective for each the consumer expertise and the builders behind all of it. If Samsung’s One UI workforce is placing in all this effort to make a singular, highly effective, and feature-filled new model of One UI, then they need to boast about it, and customers ought to find out about it. Samsung Ideas must floor some notifications once we replace; it must also showcase all the most important new options, not only a few random ones.

My colleague Zac Kew-Denniss has repeatedly sung the praises of One UI 7’s beta, and I’m with him. This can be a very substantial replace, however except Samsung makes a giant fuss and tells Galaxy customers about all the brand new goodies, loads of them will go unnoticed and unused. Hundreds, if not tens of millions, of customers will click on that “Replace” button, wait for his or her telephone to reboot, and barely discover one or two new issues. Hours and hours of growth and work will go to waste as a result of some options will not often, if ever, be used. That’d be a giant disgrace.

However there’s nonetheless time to repair this, Samsung. So, earlier than the secure model of One UI 7 rolls out, please be certain that the Ideas app is in tip-top situation and exhibiting all the most effective new options. And ship a notification to individuals who replace their telephones. They should know that it simply obtained higher!