When it comes to Android phones, there’s stock Android that comes on Google Pixel devices, then you have companies like OPPO, Samsung, OnePlus, and the rest of the world who think that stock Android isn’t good enough. So – what we end up with is a mess of experiences.
It always boils down to which Android experience will suit the person best. After using so many Android smartphones, I think I have found the best-skinned version of Android, and this version won’t make you blue and make others green with envy, especially when using the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Samsung has been using Android as their primary OS for smartphones since the first Galaxy S smartphone – and believe me, you don’t want to go back to THAT version of TouchWiz. Since then, they’ve given their user experience a massive overhaul with One UI and fine-tuned it to what we have today in One UI 4.1. This version of One UI takes some of the best features of Android and adapts them beautifully to something uniquely Samsung. Here are 7 elements that make One UI 4.1 the best version of Android right now.
No. 1 – One UI is Smarter Than Ever Before
One UI 4 is the smartest version of Samsung’s UI ever! They’ve baked Galaxy AI into the smartphone in more than just the camera. As a result, apps and widgets are smarter than ever before.
One of the most prominent places they’ve done this is the Samsung calendar app. It can pick up dates and times from your messages and dynamically suggest that you use it to create an event. This feature doesn’t just work with Samsung Messages. It works with apps like WhatsApp, LINE, Facebook Messenger, Signal, and more.
Galaxy AI isn’t just in this feature, but it also works in the background to dynamically optimize your apps for better battery life and performance. It’s also responsible for many of the camera features I’ll mention later.
No. 2 – More control over your privacy
This version of Android also gives you increased control of your privacy. For example, you can control what permissions apps have access to. Everything from the microphone to the camera, your contacts, and even your location services are all at your fingertips. Once you grant the permission, you can even set it to remove the permissions after a certain amount of time or if you don’t use the apps after a while. One UI also indicates when your camera and mic are turned on so you know when you could possibly be recorded.
No 3 – Customise, customize, customize
Samsung’s One UI 4 is also a massive leap in customizability. Google introduced customisability in Android 12, but Samsung has had extensive customizability to the look and feel of their UI since the beginning. One UI and TouchWiz before that have always allowed users to change the theme of their UI to fit their aesthetic.
With the basis of Android 12, it gets easier, but it’s also even more extensive. For example, you can seamlessly change your color palette to fit your aesthetics. Change your wallpaper, and One UI will automatically suggest palettes from the colors and accents to complement your wallpaper. Your UI will be so cohesive that you’ll wonder how you lived without this before.
One UI 4 also brings a more customizable audio experience. You can go into your accessibility options and adjust the audio balance on both your phone speakers and connected devices. With One UI’s equalizer and Adapt Sound, you can take it even further.
No. 4 – Galaxy AI-enabled Camera with Pro Mode and RAW capture
Samsung has also used Galaxy AI to enable more features and optimizations on the Camera app. They’ve upped the ante for features like Single Take and even the new enhancements to nighttime photography or, as Samsung calls it, “Nightography.” Samsung’s AI features in the camera have been massively improved with better optimizations and recognition. Even the bokeh effect on the camera’s portrait and portrait video modes is more natural.
The camera isn’t just smarter; it’s more robust. Samsung has improved the Pro mode on the camera app with the new update to One UI. Not only do you have more granular control of the camera, but you can also shoot in RAW. This is super important for content creators cause it allows us to tweak images and videos to fit our aesthetic. Shooting in RAW will enable us to capture all the data of the scene and photo you’re shooting and adjust it to our liking when we’re in front of the PC.
No. 5 – RAM Plus
You won’t need to worry about performance for a while regarding your Samsung smartphone. With the latest version of One UI, you will be able to allocate up to 8GB of your phone’s internal storage as additional RAM. As a result, you’ll be able to get even more performance with lower specced devices but also use your Galaxy smartphones for longer. In fact, you can even use it to get extra RAM on devices like the Galaxy A33 to get better performance.
No. 6 – S Pen compatibility (Z Fold 3, Tab S, and S22 Ultra)
I can’t round up the best of Samsung’s One UI without mentioning the S Pen now, can I? This feature is the one thing that sets Samsung’s One UI apart from every other Android skin. Of course, the feature is limited to a select few devices for now. However, it brings a level of productivity to Android that other versions sorely lack. With the latest enhancements, it also feels more natural than ever.
No. 7 – Link To Windows
Samsung has also been working with Microsoft on one of the powerful features you can have at your disposal on a Samsung flagship – Link to Windows. Unlike every other smartphone manufacturer, Samsung isn’t reinventing the wheel – they’re making it better and more robust than ever. What was once just a Windows notification service is now a full-fledged feature that allows you to work on a PC and smartphone. You can receive notifications, answer calls and even use your Android apps on a Windows device by simply linking it. Did I mention it? No additional app installs.
Well, that’s a quick round-up of all the features that set Samsung’s One UI apart from the rest of the Android ecosystem. I seriously hope that it gives you some insight and helps you make a more informed purchase, especially if you plan to get the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
