Something to look forward to: At Samsung's SDC 2018 developer conference yesterday, all the attention was on the company's foldable smartphone display. But it also announced the new One UI skin overlay for Android smartphones.
Samsung calls One UI a new and intuitive interface design that has been reengineered to reduce clutter and distractions. One of the most notable features is the way it keeps the most relevant content at the bottom of the phone so it can be reached with your thumb, which should be helpful in today's world of large-screen handsets.
In addition to visual improvements including redesigned icons, rounded corners, and more colors, there are now "Focus Blocks," which groups things such as related settings together on the screen so they're easier to access.
The company gave an example of One UI by using the Messages app, which splits the screen into a "viewing area" at the top and an "interaction area" made up of conversation threads beneath it. The share button has also been moved to the lower part of the screen.
Other changes include the addition of Samsung's night mode, which makes reading in the dark easier on the eyes.
Samsung says One UI is the "most user-focused smartphone UX" it has produced to date, adding that it wants users' "eyes to be drawn to what matters, and not distracted by things that don't ."
An open beta will start rolling out this month in the US, Germany, and Korea, with Europe and Asia following later. One UI---and Android 9 Pie---will officially come to the Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus, and Galaxy Note 9 starting in January.