Samsung’s One UI 5 update is all about personalization | Engadget

has revealed more details about One UI 5, the updated user interface rolling out to devices later this month. Galaxy S22 series devices will be the first to receive the update. The company is putting an even greater focus on personalization, including on the lock screen. You can choose up to 15 photos and videos for the lock screen, with a different one shown each time you turn on the display.

Alternatively, you can let Samsung manage the dynamic lock screen with a selection of curated images – you’ll see a different one every time. You can choose up to five image categories (e.g. Dogs, Cats, Animals, Landscapes and Plants) and Samsung updates the collections every two weeks. You can also customize the wallpaper, clock style and notification popups on the lock screen. Expect more color palette options to change the device-wide UI look and more customizable watch faces for Galaxy Watches.

Samsung says it’s redesigned notifications to be more intuitive and easier to analyze at a glance. There’s also the promise of improved widget stacking on the home screen. A UI 5 will also have “more defined accept and decline buttons” when you see the pop-up call indicator.

Speaking of calls, there’s a new feature called Bixby Text Call. You can answer a call by typing a message and Bixby can read it to the caller. The voice assistant can also convert what the caller says into text. This can come in handy when you’re in a noisy environment and can’t hear what the other person is saying. Bixby Text Call became available in Korean as part of One UI 4.1.1. An English version will arrive in early 2023.

One UI 5 will also weigh on modes and routines. Routines allow you to trigger multiple actions on your device based on your activities (like starting a specific playlist when you leave the house). In addition, you can have modes with custom settings for specific situations, e.g. B. when sleeping, relaxing or exercising. Relax mode lets you silence notifications so you can focus on watching a video or playing a game. And when it’s time for bed, turning off all sounds and lowering the screen brightness might be enough.

Speaking at the Samsung Developer Conference keynote, Sally Hyesoon Jeong said your device will ask a series of simple questions to help you set up the modes the way you see fit. The company plans to roll out modes to more devices (especially watches and tablets) in the near future

Elsewhere, Samsung is merging One UI 4’s “biometrics and security” and “privacy” settings into a single security and privacy menu. You’ll be alerted to potential security issues and see possible solutions on a screen.

You’ll see a new alert in the Sharing panel when your phone thinks you’re about to share an image that contains sensitive information, such as your name. B. A photo of your credit card, driver’s license, social security card or passport. Regarding IDs, Samsung noted that availability may vary by language. At least for now, this feature is only available if you set your system language to English (US) or Korean.

On the health front, Samsung was working with Google on a platform called Health Connect, a single set of APIs designed to enable Android developers to create “richer health experiences,” Jeong said. There will be centralized privacy controls that will still allow you to sync data between different health and fitness apps.

Because of Samsung’s partnership with Microsoft, when you set up a new Windows PC, you can use a QR code to link it to your phone. This will automatically add your portable hotspot to your PC WiFi options. Jeong suggested that One UI 5 will offer improved continuity between apps. For example, you can switch from PowerPoint on phones to the desktop app and pick up where you left off. There are plans to enable similar features for non-Microsoft apps soon. Also in terms of productivity, that’s coming as part of the Android 12L update for other Z Fold and Tab S8 devices. You can also copy text from images and paste them elsewhere.

A new menu for connected devices will include interoperability options for Quick Share, Smart View and Samsung DeX. Finally, you can expect easier access to a menu that will help you switch from one device to another.