Samsung One UI 7 Update Plan: A Long-Awaited Upgrade Is It Worth the Wait?

Samsung One UI 7 Update Plan: A Long-Awaited Upgrade Is It Worth the Wait?Samsung has long been known for its high-end smartphones and advanced One UI system. However, in recent years, the company has faced criticism for its slow software update rollout, leaving many users disappointed by the delayed updates for both new and older devices

Samsung One UI 7 Update Plan: A Long-Awaited Upgrade Is It Worth the Wait?

Samsung has long been known for its high-end smartphones and advanced One UI system. However, in recent years, the company has faced criticism for its slow software update rollout, leaving many users disappointed by the delayed updates for both new and older devices. This has been particularly noticeable with the One UI 7 update. While many expected Samsung to accelerate the One UI 7 rollout for older flagship phones after the release of the S25 series, delays have persisted, leaving users feeling frustrated and believing that experiencing the new system requires purchasing a new phone.

Recently, Samsung finally released the detailed One UI 7 update schedule, offering a glimmer of hope to long-waiting users. According to the official announcement, Samsung will begin rolling out One UI 7 in phases, starting April 18th, 2025, to a variety of devices. This includes the latest flagship models and some older ones, a positive sign.

The detailed update schedule is as follows:

Phase 1 (April 18th, 2025):

• Galaxy S24 series

• Galaxy S24 FE

• Galaxy Z Fold6

• Galaxy Z Flip6

Phase 2 (April 25th, 2025):

• Galaxy S23 series

• Galaxy Z Fold5

• Galaxy Z Flip5

• Galaxy A54

Phase 3 (May 16th, 2025):

• Galaxy S23 FE

• Galaxy S22 series

• Galaxy Z Fold4

• Galaxy Z Flip4

• Galaxy A34

Phase 4 (May 23rd, 2025):

• Galaxy S21 series

• Galaxy S21 FE

• Galaxy Z Fold3

• Galaxy Z Flip3

• Galaxy A53

• Galaxy A33

One UI 7 boasts several exciting new features and improvements, along with a refreshed interface. Compared to previous versions, One UI 7 shows significant visual enhancements.

Firstly, One UI 7 features redesigned system icons, predominantly using circular elements and incorporating more gradient effects for a cleaner, modern look. The color coordination is improved, resulting in a stronger visual impact and a more unified, aesthetically pleasing style.

Secondly, the highly anticipated "Live Window" feature is introduced. Similar to iOS's Always-On Display, it shows a persistent area at the bottom of the screen when the phone is locked, displaying real-time information such as weather, schedule, and fitness data. Users can tap to enlarge the view, and switch between multiple tasks. After unlocking, this information moves to the top left of the status bar.

Furthermore, One UI 7 optimizes animations, making transitions smoother and more natural, eliminating the previous jarring effect and improving overall fluidity. This is a significant improvement for users who value visual smoothness.

The core feature, Galaxy AI, also receives enhancements. A new personalized briefing function intelligently pushes weather forecasts, health data, and important news based on user habits. Upon waking the device, the Live Window prioritizes this personalized briefing.

One UI 7 also includes an AI multi-screenshot feature, allowing users to create, translate, edit, and save GIFs with a single tap, significantly boosting productivity. This addresses a previous weakness in One UI's multi-functional integration, offering a more efficient user experience.

In summary, One UI 7 demonstrates significant improvements in interface design, features, and fluidity. The addition of Live Window, personalized briefings, and AI multi-screenshot functionality provides a more intelligent, personalized, and efficient user experience.

However, despite the exciting features, the update's rollout has been heavily criticized. The phased release, spanning over a month from April 18th to May 23rd, 2025, has caused considerable user dissatisfaction, especially among owners of older devices who face a lengthy wait. This negatively impacts Samsung's brand image.

More concerningly, the delayed One UI 7 rollout could affect the release of One UI 7.1, potentially depriving users of timely updates and costing Samsung market share.

The delayed One UI 7 update reignites the conversation surrounding Android update frequency and manufacturers' update policies. While One UI 7's improvements are substantial, the slow rollout overshadows them. Whether Samsung can improve its update strategy remains to be seen. Only time will tell if this belated One UI 7 update can repair the negative perception surrounding Samsung's update speed. Hopefully, Samsung will learn from this experience, prioritize user experience, and accelerate future updates to prevent similar situations. A consistently updated and improved operating system is crucial for retaining users and maintaining competitiveness.